Take a Chance on Me
by ramen-is-my-goddess
Summary: First fanfic, R & R plz!basically, it's about Roxas and Sora, twins, being sent off to college by their callous parents. there they meet new friends that have them questioning life and sanity. rated T for cussing and yaoi later, better sum inside...
1. A New Adventure

Hello all! This is my first fanfic, so i hope you all like it. I realize that it sucks, but, as the title says: take a chance on me!

Warning: this story WILL contain yaoi (that's boy x boy love ya'll) so, if you don't like that kind of thing, then don't read the story. Otherwise, welcome! lol

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts or it's characters...as a matter of fact, i can hardly play it ...

Summary: ugh...i suck at these sooo much...ahem, Sora and Roxas are sent off to college without so much as an "adieu" from their cold, distant parents. When they arrive on campus, the meet a group of friends who have their own style and views on life that greatly contradict those of the twins'. Wills clash, new crushes are formed, and new hates are founded in this really horrible story i've written! lol.

Just as a little side note, most of what happens in this story has either a) happened directly to me or b) i've witnessed it, so, with that in mind, read on, and i hope you like it. if not...eh, let me know, there's always room for improvement, right? right. ONWARD!

* * *

"Congrats on surviving the high school experience, your father and I are proud of you. Here's all you'll need for the next big thing," Sora read aloud from the note that he and his twin, Roxas, had found on the kitchen counter. 

Roxas snorted as he rifled through the fridge, searching for food. "All that's here is that stupid note," he grumbled, finally slamming the fridge shut in defeat. "And there's nothing to eat!"

Sora shook his head at his blond twin. "Let's finish the note. I'm sure mom and dad have a good reason for not being here."

"Or at our fucking graduation for that matter," Roxas snapped, sitting on one of the bar stools in front of the counter. He folded his arms and buried his face in them. "That's the shittiest thing a parent can do."

Ignoring his brother's anger, though Sora himself was still pretty sore that their parents hadn't even shown up for their graduation ceremony, he finished reading the note they'd found after storming into their empty house.

"You'll find two plane tickets in your names in your room. Your father took the liberty of packing most of your things, but I bought an extra suitcase for you, just in case. There's an information packet in your backpack along with directions. Again, we're so proud of you for finishing high school, and we'll miss you."

Roxas interrupted Sora's reading with a snort of disbelief, trying hard to hide the small hurt that had surfaced at the distant note…and how it was only addressed to an individual.

"Write whenever, love, Mom." Sora's voice slowly became quieter and quieter as he read each word, a sense of dread filling him.

"What the hell?" Roxas snatched the piece of paper from his brother, running an agitated hand through his spiky, blond hair. His blue eyes narrowed. "P.S. Sora, there's some sea-salt ice cream in the freezer. Share with _him_ please."

_Him? HIM?! God, I hate these people!_ Roxas fumed.

Sora sat in silence, staring out the kitchen window to the sunny yard outside. Beyond the green grass and colorful flowers, the occasional car slowly rolled by, the drivers out for a leisurely ride through the beautiful summer day. It was almost comical how at odds the scenery was with atmosphere inside their home.

If they understood the note correctly, it meant that, not only had their parents not bothered to show up to their high school graduation, but they were sending the twins off somewhere without even saying anything until now. They hadn't even asked if Roxas and Sora cared. Didn't they get a say in any of this?

"This is so typical of them," Roxas said angrily as he tore open the box of ice-cream. He threw a small, clear plastic packet at Sora, which the brunet ignored as he continued to stare off, trying to find ways to explain their recent circumstances as a joke. A cruel joke.

"They never cared about us all that much." Roxas went on. "I don't know why today would seem any different to them."

Sora turned his attention to his twin, noting how the sunlight highlighted his golden hair, making it look like his brother was surrounded by a glowing halo.

Roxas would've seemed like an angel…if he hadn't currently been cursing under his breath as he viciously bit into the blue colored ice-cream, eyes the color of the ocean narrowed in anger.

"Rox," Sora began.

"What?" Roxas snapped again.

Sora sighed. "Nothing." He shook his head to emphasize his point and looked away again. He stood and walked into the hall. Staring at his reflection in the mirror hanging off the wall, he tried his hardest to keep from feeling rejected by his parents…again.

His chocolate brown hair stood up in spikes around his round face, and yes, it was natural. And, yes, he hated it. It was so unruly and hard to manage, and that was when the humidity was on his side…

The only thing he had in common with his twin brother was his eyes. They both had the same, amazingly deep, azure eyes that everyone at school and beyond absolutely loved.

Roxas' reflection appeared behind his and Sora jumped a bit, turning to face his twin. "What?" he asked, covering up how much Roxas had startled him.

Roxas shook his head, copying Sora's earlier reply to the same question. He leaned forward and hugged his twin, the wooden stick from the ice-cream sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

Sora hugged his brother back, trying not to cry. Roxas was always the hot-tempered one. The one who always reacted in anger when things got bad. Sora…Sora was the sensitive one. He was easily upset by the bad things in life, and would rather not face them. Instead, choosing to laugh and smile his way through it all.

Roxas hated to see his brother like this. Sora was the happy one. The one who smiled and brought up everybody's spirits when they were down. He was going to kill his parents one of these days. They'd never paid much attention to the twins…hell, they ignored the fact that Roxas existed completely, which he could convince himself not to care about. But Sora…Sora was different.

"You forgot your ice-cream in the kitchen." Roxas said lamely, pulling out of the hug with a blush. He held out the still packaged item at Sora, looking away. "Here, it'll make you feel better."

Sora smiled and took the treat from his brother. "Thanks, Rox." He carefully unwrapped the package, giving the ice-cream a few licks. The tangy-bitter flavor shocking him for a moment as it always did. Roxas was the only kid he knew who wasn't bothered by the flavor, even momentarily.

"Yeah," Roxas rubbed his hair, making the messy spikes stick up more. "I'm gonna go check out our room. See what they were talking about." Roxas didn't even bother to say 'our parents'. Those two were the sorriest excuse of parents. They didn't even deserve the title.

Sora gave a muffled call as he followed Roxas up the stairs to their room. He'd stuck the entire ice-cream into his mouth, leaving his hands free to jump up onto Roxas' back like he'd always done when they were younger. And did every chance he got even though they were both eighteen.

"Damn it, Sora!' Roxas cursed as he stumbled under his twin's weight. For being on the short and kinda skinny side, Sora was freaking heavy.

Roxas grunted and, though he groaned a protest at playing the part of horse, hooked his arms under Sora's knees, hitching his brother higher up on his back.

"Don't you think you're a little old for this?"

"Hmph-hm!" Sora giggled, the ice-cream in his mouth had started to melt and drip onto Roxas' white sweater.

"Gah," Roxas just ignored the blue leeching into the bright, crisp white of his hooded sweater. His favorite too. But, short of throwing Sora down the stairs, there was nothing he could do. "You're such a baby…" he muttered, kicking open their bedroom door.

Sora and Roxas had always shared a room. Even though they'd lived in more houses than they cared to count as they grew up, they'd always had the same room. At first, it had been out of necessity, then later, they'd just grown attached to the point where they didn't want to be separated.

That, plus the fact that Sora would sneak into Roxas' room and sleep with him anyway.

It was the same as it had been when they'd left earlier that morning for their graduation. The room was square, two twin beds pushed together in the center of the room, one made up military style, perfectly. The blankets a checkered black and white. The other was piled with pillows that lay everywhere, the dark blue covers with the white stars was strewn haphazardly over the mattress, the sheets bunched up and tangled.

Three guesses whose bed was whose…

The closets on either side of the room were both open and empty. Bare hangars swinging softly from the force of the door banging into the wall. There were three black suitcases sitting on the floor at the end of each bed, their school backpacks lying on top of them.

Roxas slowly lowered Sora to the ground, despite the brunet's noisy protests. His eyes swept the room with an angry glint burning in the blue depths. How could their parents be such callous assholes? He'd never understood it and he doubted he ever would.

They'd packed all their belongings instead of coming to their graduation, they'd already arranged for them to leave without being here to say goodbye…it was like they couldn't wait to get rid of them.

Which was probably the point of all this…bastards.

Sora grabbed Roxas' hand as he noticed their room. "Rox…" he could hardly speak, trying to fight off tears. "How…how could they do this to us? Don't they…love us at all?" he managed to ask through the lump in his throat.

Roxas immediately hugged his brother again. "Who cares if they do or not, Sora? We've got each other. We always have. We don't need them. _I_ love you."

Sora lifted his face, a small smile curving his lips. "I love you too, bro. And you're right."

"Of course I'm right. I always am." Roxas snorted and ducked away from Sora as the brunet dove at him. The two ended up in a small wrestling match, which Roxas won, of course. Thought he wasn't trying all that hard. Sora's sugar rush had just run out, leaving him vulnerable for a pin.

"Uhhn…" Sora mumbled as Roxas dumped him on his bed. The brunet bounced a bit from the impact, but didn't move. Roxas rolled his eyes, laughing at his brother. Sora was such a sugar junkie. He'd eaten nearly half of the huge platter of cookies at the senior brunch they'd attended that morning, and then the ice-cream…

"You're such a burn-out," Roxas taunted. Sora answered with another moan and a flopping hand. Roxas laughed again. "C'mon you bum, help me with this stuff."

Sighing, Sora sat up. "What stuff?"

Roxas gave another eye roll. "This stuff." He pointed at the suitcases. He loved his twin, he did. But Sora could be so freaking dense sometimes, Roxas wished he _could_ hate him…or at least hurt him without feeling guilty.

Kneeling down, Roxas rummaged around in his backpack, finally finding a large, white package. He pulled it out, arching an eyebrow. "Huh…this must be what the note was talking about."

Sora crawled to the end of his bed and laid on his stomach, propping his elbows up to rest his chin in his hands. He swung his feet as he looked down at Roxas, who sat on the floor cross-legged, opening the over-sized envelope.

"What's in there, Rox?"

"Hm…" Roxas reached in and revealed a large stack of papers. He flipped through them, finding a small map, some sort of information packet, and a boarding pass for a flight that was to leave later that day. "They're…sending us to college?"

_I'm amazed they were considerate enough to actually remember I exist long enough to buy me a ticket too,_ Roxas thought wryly.

"What?" Sora leaned down and snatched up his own backpack, the many key chains hanging off of it jingling. He sat up and yanked the zipper open. He practically stuck his entire head into the bag before sitting back upright, holding his own package. He ripped the outside envelope to pieces, scattering papers everywhere. Sora shoved most aside before locating his booklet.

Roxas set aside his boarding pass and retrieved his own booklet, inwardly shaking his head at his twin. Sora never was one for patience. Or grace. "Yep. Definitely a college." Roxas confirmed, scanning the contents before snorting.

"Figures. It's on the other side of the country." Not only could their parents not get rid of them fast enough, they didn't seem to want their children anywhere near them. How sweet….not.

"But…but," Sora stuttered. "But…I didn't want to got to college!" he whined. "At least, not right away!" he threw the booklet across the room in a rare show of temper and crossed his arms, huffing indignantly. "Why didn't they say anything?"

Roxas shrugged. "Does it matter?" he rechecked the time for departure on his ticket. "The plane leaves at seven tonight." He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. 4:30. So, that gave them two and a half hours to get their stuff together and get to the airport.

Then again, since they were supposed to be there at least an hour early to get through security and check their bags, they should leave ASAP. Oh, joy.

Sora noticed the pained look on his twin's face and poked him in the shoulder. "What's up, Rox?"

Scoffing, Roxas shrugged his brother's hand off. "I can't believe this," he snarled. "There's barely enough time for us to get our shit and go to the airport. And that's what they were counting on. They wanted us in and out of here as soon as possible." Actually, scratch that earlier thought…he could _totally_ believe this.

Blue eyes that mirrored his own widened as they regarded the blond. "What? We have to leave already?" Sora scrambled around to find his own ticket.

He gazed in dismay at the departure time printed neatly on the boarding pass when he found it. "But…we still have things to pack…"

"Then I suggest we get cracking." Roxas stood and cracked his knuckles. "Because I'm going to call a cab. Get what you want to take with you and I'll take the other bags downstairs. Once the cab is here, we're gone."

_Why does it feel so good to say that?_ Roxas wondered to himself as he left the room, as many bags as he could carry in tow behind him.

Sora nodded sadly after his twin, quickly pulling the blanket and matching pillows off of his bed. He took the extra bag and opened it, stuffing the bedding inside. He glanced around the room and took the little things from his childhood that he couldn't bear to leave without.

A friendship necklace in the shape of a half heart that he shared with his best friend, Kairi. Sora paused as he stuffed the jewelry into his pocket. He was leaving all his friends behind. He wouldn't get to see them for who knew how long? And he didn't even have time to say goodbye because of the stupid plane's departure time.

Sora sniffed back tears and continued going around his side of the room.

He took an extra pillow, a pocket knife given to him by his brother, the rest of his key chain collection, and a picture of him and Kairi that had been taken just two weeks ago.

Kairi's dark red hair was shining in the sunlight, her blue-gray eyes bright and her smile wide. Her arm was wrapped around Sora's shoulders, her free hand making a peace sign. Sora stood beside her, eyes crossed while he stuck his tongue out at the camera.

Tears filled his eyes again and Sora looked away from the picture. The memories hurt now that he knew he was leaving, but he couldn't leave the picture behind. So, Sora tossed it into the bag along with the rest of his stuff. Seeing nothing else of value to him, Sora zipped up the bag, leaving it on the bed. He swept all the papers strewn across the floor into a sloppy pile and shoved them back into his backpack.

Roxas came back into the room and packed up what was left of his things, saying nothing. Sora watched sadly as his twin packed his blanket, pillow, and a journal.

_He didn't pack anything to remember home…then again, knowing Roxas, he wouldn't want anything to remind him of this place._

Zipping his bag closed, Roxas sighed and looked up at Sora for the first time since entering the room. His eyes were dark and sad. "It's gonna suck not being able to say goodbye, huh?" Sora nodded, feeling a lump form in his throat again.

Roxas patted his brother's head, ruffling the soft, chocolatey brown locks a bit. "It'll be okay, though, Sora. There's always room for new friends right? And I'm sure you can call Kairi once we get there to tell her everything."

Sora nodded in agreement and hugged his brother for the third time. Roxas normally only wouldn't allow more than one a day, but today was special, and Sora was grateful that his uptight twin didn't protest, but hugged him back every time.

A honk from outside startled them both.

Roxas recovered first, pulling away from Sora and picking up his bags.

"That's the cab." He said, slinging his backpack on and heading for the door. "Let's go."

Snatching up his own baggage, Sora followed.

* * *

Well, there it is, the first chapter! DX gah, it's horrible isn't it? but i gotta ask, how many of you caught the message with Sora and Kairi's friendship necklace? half a heart for each that make one? lol, yeah, i'm retarded... 

More will be clarified in coming chapters...oh, and in the next chapter, other characters get their cameo...wait...would it be considered a cameo if the appearance is written?? err...i must consult with my muse on that one, until we meet again. Read and Review please! tanks (yeah...i spelled it that way on purpose...) XD

-----Ramen


	2. Fine, You Win

Hey hi! i know, two chappies in one sitting oO what is this girl on?! lol, anyways, this is indeed the second chapter. i suck at summaries, so i'll let the chapter speak for iteslf. Yay! more characters show up here! weeeeee! oh, and my muse said that 'cameo' doesn't fit when it's written...but told me to go with it anyways! haha, (high fives with her muse) you rock!

Warning: there is yaoi in this story, and no, i won't write this warning in every chapter...just for the first few X3 (future pairings include...err...maybe i'll save that till later? you want it to be a surprise? lemme know...)

Disclaimer: i don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters...that glorifying claim belongs to Disney and Square Enix only...(sighs) s'rather sad...(cries, then gets over it) oh well!

ONWARD! ...yeah, i'll always say that...lol

* * *

The distant sounds of their yelling no longer affected her. She sat in her near empty room, staring at the water stained walls, uncaring of the fact that she was alone. She didn't want to be here, she never had. She was ready for change. It had been years since she'd seen him. With him, the world was right. With him, she could be herself and she didn't have to hide behind this unfeeling façade. 

Sure, it had been a long time, almost a decade since she'd last seen him, but some things not even time could change, right?

With her few friends she'd had, sure, she could be herself. Somewhat. But now that school was out she would never see them again. Now that they'd moved, again, she'd never seen those people again. Nothing was familiar, and yet it was all the same. She was ready to leave. She was past old enough. She'd been stuck in school an extra year because of all the moving about, but now she was done.

Nineteen and moving on. Oh, yeah, baby.

She cracked a smile. Yeah, it was past time to leave. Of course, her father would refuse outright for even thinking of moving out. So, she'd just have to run away. Where could she go? She had no freaking clue, but she'd go somewhere far away.

Making up her mind, she stood from her bed and opened her dresser. She tossed random clothes into a small duffle, figuring that less was more in the long run. At the last second, she snatched up her guitar case, not wanting to leave it behind.

Without even bothering to leave a note, she forced open her window and jumped out onto the fire-escape. She climbed down, ignoring how she became instantly soaked from the pounding rain.

Flipping her flimsy hood over her sopping hair, she slung the duffle and case over one shoulder and cast a quick glance up at her window. No regrets. There was nothing _to_ regret. She was starting over.

As she walked down the dirty, darkened alley, she thought about where she could go. About what she could do. Hell, what _couldn't_ she do? She was free! She was her own person now. She could do anything!

Maybe…if she looked hard enough…she could even find her brother…

* * *

"Sora, would you stop poking me?" Roxas snapped at his brother as they disembarked, entering the crowded airport.

"But Roxy, I'm bored!" Sora whined, not noticing how his brother winced at the greatly disliked nickname. He hated being called 'Roxy"…

"We've been on that plane for forever!"

Not forever. But, to Sora, sitting still for four hours _would_ seem like forever. Four hours…on a plane…sitting next to Sora…with no lay-over…

Translation: torture.

It was now somewhere past eleven at night, and Roxas could feel his eyes growing heavier with each step he took. They had to get to the college campus by noon tomorrow and they had to figure out where to stay until then.

At least their parents had had the decency to send them off with some money so they could get essential supplies. Maybe if he was careful with it, Roxas thought, they could get a room at a motel or something. Maybe some food too. Airplane food didn't count as food.

And he could tell by how annoying Sora was being that his twin was hungry. The hungrier Sora became, the more irritating he was.

"Roxiiiiiiiieeeeee!!!" Sora whined again. Roxas smacked him upside the head. "Ow! Be nice, Roxy."

"Stop calling me 'Roxy' and I'll consider it." Roxas groused as he led Sora to the baggage claim.

Down two escalators, up a set of stairs, and half a block of walking through side restaurants and shops, mobs of people and boarding gates later, they finally made it to the baggage claim.

They set down their carry on bags while they waited to spot the rest of their things. Sora tugged on Roxas' sleeve. He watched as his twin shook his head without even giving Sora a side glance.

Sora huffed and stared at his brother. Roxas' white hoodie was rumpled and there was a small blue stain on the shoulder from the ice-cream they'd had earlier. His blond hair was mussed and there were dark rings under his half shut eyes.

He looked terrible….

Then again, Sora was willing to bet that he didn't look too much better, what with his own messy hair and wrinkled clothes.

The flight had been long and boring. The first half filled with angry silence from Roxas and quiet crying from Sora. The second half had been filled with nothing but failed attempts to pass the time by Sora and left Roxas annoyed and tense. Both were tired and homesick already, though Roxas would never admit the latter.

"Roxas," Sora whispered, leaning into his brother's side.

Roxas sighed and turned to glare at Sora. "What?"

"Um…" at the peeved look on Roxas' face, Sora reconsidered asking when they were going to eat. He'd already asked five minutes ago and Roxas looked ready to snap. "Never mind. I'll be quiet."

Roxas closed his eyes in relief. Finally, Sora had caught on. It wasn't that he was trying to be mean. Roxas just didn't have the answers Sora wanted.

He _didn't_ know when they were going to eat. He _didn't _know where they were going to sleep. He just _didn't know_. And it was frustrating to him that he couldn't be of more use to his younger twin.

Yes, Roxas was the older of the two…by about ten minutes…but the age difference was there and it was why Sora always trusted him to make the important decisions.

Finally, their bags showed up and Roxas and Sora took them off the conveyor belt. They piled the suitcases onto a cart.

"Whaddaya say we get some food, Sora?" Roxas nodded his head over to a small alcove that housed a mini Burger King.

Sora's eyes went wide and he jaw went slack. Roxas wasn't sure if he was amused or disgusted when he saw that Sora had started to drool at the thought of food.

"Let's go, Rambo," Roxas grabbed his brother's hand and tugged him over to the food court. "First, we'll get some grub, then find a place to stay, alright?"

"What about tomorrow?" Sora asked, suddenly lucid again.

Roxas thought for a minute before shrugging. "How about we figure that out when it comes."

* * *

"Okay, seriously, it's that time already? Christ." 

Zexion crossed his arms and stared at his best friends. Demyx was standing in the middle of his mother's apartment, his dirty blond hair down up in what was supposed to be a faux-hawk, but was ruined, was standing up on end, several stray strands hanging down in his face. His teal eyes narrowed as he tapped his foot impatiently.

Axel was lying sprawled out on the couch. His long, lanky body hanging off the ends. His bright, fiery red hair was spiked in the back, his eyes a cat-like green. Beneath each eye was an upside down, black triangle tattoo. Zexion remembered when Axel had had them done. They'd been freshmen in college. Last year.

Axel had done it to show up the bastards who'd pledged and humiliated him.

"You make it sound like it's the end of the world, Axel," Demyx snapped as he glared down at his friend. "We've been on break since spring. It's past time to go back. You promised that you'd come back to school in the summer."

"What, do you write down every single fucking thing I say?" Axel groused, holding his hands up in the air, as if praying for some divine intervention.

"No, but I've got a decent memory." Demyx scratched the side of his head. "C'mon, Ax, you promised."

"So what? We all know there's no point to me going back. I flunked. I'll just flunk again." Axel sat up and stared at his two friends. The trio had been together since they'd first met in grade school. They'd grown up together, gone through the hell that was high school together, been through all the ups and downs, had been there for each other. And it was great to have buddies there for you in a pinch…but he really hated how they held him to his word.

"You only flunked because you didn't care to try." Zexion spoke up. Demyx glanced over at him, looking grateful that he'd finally intervened. Zexion pushed his hair out of his face, only to have it fall back, entirely covering the right side.

"Says the teacher's pet," Axel countered, flopping to his back again. "I 'm not going back. So stop trying to convince me."

"Axel, c'mon already!" Demyx stomped his foot and pouted. Zexion patted his friend's shoulder, not noticing how Demyx stiffened and blushed at the contact.

"No!" Axel defiantly shouted.

"Do you really want to live the rest of your life in this kind of squalor?" Zexion began, indicating the sparsely furnished apartment. "Is this want you want for yourself?"

Axel groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. "Not the Future Lecture again…"

"You said yourself when we were kids: 'we won't live like this forever, you guys, we'll grow up, go to school, and become rich and famous.'"

"Seriously…DO you record every thing I fucking say?" Axel wasn't so much annoyed now as he was curious. They always did this. They teamed up on him. Threw his past words and promises in his face. There had to be some kind of record keeping going on.

Demyx watched as Zexion and Axel continued to banter back and forth, Axel becoming more and more pissy, and Zexion remaining as cool and calm as always. Demyx held back a sigh as he watched Zex push his hair back again. Clearly, Zexion was his crush. Had been for some time.

Of course, Zexion didn't know, and he didn't need to find out. It was a secret longing that Demyx liked to keep to himself. Zex had never shown any interest in him besides as a friend. He didn't want to ruin their close knit friendship by making a confession that could drive them apart.

So, he watched his crush from afar, dreaming but never making a move to make the dream a reality.

"It's too fucking late for this shit," Axel grumbled, and Demyx and Zexion had to agree. It was past midnight at this point, and if they were going to get up early enough to drive down to the college campus tomorrow, or rather, later today, they had to rap this up.

"Axel, just come with us. If you flunk out this year too, we won't ask you to go back." Zexion offered, and by the tone of his voice, the other two knew that this was it. Either accept the offer, or get dragged of into the dawn with no choice.

Axel sighed heavily, casting on more lasting glare at his two best friends. "Fine. I'll go. Now can we just sleep already?"

Zexion gave him a curt nod and went to sit on his own pallet of blankets on the floor.

Demyx bounced over to the couch and punched Axel's leg. "Get up, you butt, I need to pull the bed out."

Axel groaned and rolled off the couch, landing on the floor with a loud thump. "Ow…"

Demyx laughed heartily at Axel, one arm wrapped around his middle and the other extended as he pointed a finger. "You idiot!"

He couldn't help it. Zexion felt a small smile worm free at the sight. Only around his friends could he come out of his shell and be himself. He was painfully shy around anyone else, but with Demyx and Axel, he knew he didn't have to hide.

Demyx tossed the cushions off the couch and tried several times to tug the fold up mattress out. He grunted and strained until, finally, there was a snap and the mattress flew out, knocking Demyx flat on his back.

Now it was Axel's turn to point and laugh. He laughed so hard, he fell over again and pounded the floor with his first. Tears streamed out of his eyes as he cackled like he couldn't stop.

"Now who's the idiot?" he managed to gasp out between chuckles.

Zexion jumped up and ran over to help Demyx up to his feet. "You okay. Dem?" he asked, worried that his friend might've hurt himself.

Demyx blushed, standing with Zexion's help. He coughed and stepped away. He didn't want Zex to see how much he was affected by their close proximity. God forbid that Demyx give away the crush he'd had on Zexion since they were in middle school.

"Thanks. I'm good." He finally mumbled.

Axel finished laughing and stood up, gasping for breath. "Oh, man, Demyx, that was the best. I'll go to school as long as you want if I can see you do that again. You should've seen the look on your face!" another round of laughs came from the redhead.

He sauntered over to the mattress and sat on the end…which promptly gave way under his weight, the support beneath folding in, taking the bed down to the floor with it.

Axel hopped up with a squawk, stumbling as he tried to run away.

Zexion and Demyx both laughed like mad, continuing with the point. They laughed at their redheaded friend who stood on the other side of the room, green eyes wide and his face frozen in shock.

Finally taking notice at how his friends were laughing at him, Axel glared, scowling. "Oh, shut up you two."

"I'll do whatever you want if you just do that again, Axel," Demyx mocked. "You should've seen the look on your face!"

"I hate you guys…" Axel mumbled, which only made them laugh harder. "Let's just get some sleep."

"You sure you still want to sleep on that?" Zexion indicated the lopsided mattress with a title of the head. "You never know, it might try to eat you next."

Axel flipped him off, making Zexion and Demyx start up with laughing at him all over again.

* * *

So, whatcha think? this chappie is where most of the humor really comes in, and i hope you all thought it funny...i don't really think it's funny...i've written better...we'll see if i can do better than this...remember, it's only the beginning... 

read and review...i need them...they boost my minute self-esteem, heh

---Ramen


	3. OBJECTION!

KYA! Hey there, in case anybody was wondering why i'm updating so fast, it's cuz i already had the first five chapters of this story written. lol, yeah. So, here it is, chapter three of my horrible story XD.

I'd like to dedicate this chappie to my first reviewer, **Kairi1fan**, thank you a million and one times for reviewing my story! i'm glad you don't think it sucks completely! haha. I'd also like to deicate this chapter to **Superemily** for adding my story to the 'alert update' list. X3 lotsa luff. (winks) i even added a bit something exta to this chapter that wasn't in the original copy for you. LONG LIVE AKUROKU!

Warning: yaoi...blah, blah, blah...don't read if you don't like...blah, blah, blah...pairings: AkuRoku (main), SoRiku (side), Zemyx (side)...but none of them will show up for a while...a LONG while.

Disclaimer: I don't own this, that, or the other thing, mkay compadre? (hehe, my muse told me to say that)

Kanta: No I didn't!

Ramen: shhh...just read...read...

* * *

The sun was annoyingly bright, but it was noon in the middle of the summer, so what had he been expecting?

Roxas rubbed his face for the thousandth time, yawning. He wasn't a morning person, and, to add to his misery, his twin was. He glared as Sora stared, wide-eyed around the tall main building.

It was a closed campus, with a small diner/café, dorm buildings, and the main building which housed the cafeteria and classrooms. The grass surrounding them was so green, it looked fake and the few trees that grew were tied firmly to posts driven deep into the ground.

And each one had a fucking _fence_ around it. A _fence!_

Who put a fence around a tree? Not to mention around each and every one of the hundreds of trees on a campus of this size?

"Rox, look at all these people!" Sora cried excitedly, pointing at the crowds walking past, some moving with purpose and others simply wandering. Several turned to stare at them at Sora's outburst and Roxas had never wished more to be able to choke his twin.

"There aren't _that_ many people here, Sora." Roxas bit out between clenched teeth. More people went to their high school. Well…maybe not _more,_ probably the same amount. But, Christ, Sora was making an idiot out of himself by gaping at the college like a small town kid coming to the big city for the first time.

Sora seemed to catch himself momentarily. Hands on his hips, he gave Roxas a dirty look.

"I _know_ that, Roxy. I was just _sayin'_."

Roxas rubbed his forehead. He still wasn't awake, and Sora's typical behavior didn't help with the headache he was starting to get.

"Whatever, let's just go find our dorm, ok?"

Roxas led Sora over to a line of tables set up where new students and returning students were checking in and getting their class schedules.

"Name," a medium sized man with silver hair and glasses barked when Roxas and Sora stopped at his table.

"Um, Sora and Roxas Hikari." Roxas answered, setting his bags down so he could take the envelope the man shoved at them. (Sorry I can't be more creative with the last name XP)

"My name is Staley. But you can just call me Sir." He gave the twins a harsh look before looking back down at his clipboard, checking off their names. "I'm the head of your dorm, and what I say goes."

"Yes, Sir." Roxas replied quietly. This guy was kind of an asshole, not that he was going to say so aloud. He tossed Sora a look and his twin nodded slightly, a small smile on his face. It was always like that between them. What one thought, the other knew. They could read each other's emotions almost better than they could express their own. Not that that was a big feat, since what one felt, the other usually mirrored.

"In that envelope is your class schedules, list of activities, a map of the campus, and your dorm room number. You'll be sharing you dorm with other students, so learn to share." Staley droned, seemingly bored with the speech he'd likely spouted for years.

"Yes, Sir." Sora and Roxas said at the same time, earning a glare from Staley.

"You two mocking me, now?" he said in a low, threatening tone.

"No, Sir." They said together again. They looked at each other, and burst into giggles. It couldn't be helped, it happened at random moments. The twins would say the same thing at the same time, and it did seem like they were being smart, but the truth was, they couldn't help it.

"Get out of here," Staley snapped, waving the two away before calling, "Next!"

Roxas and Sora stumbled away, dragging their bags and still laughing.

"Did you see the look on his face?" Sora giggled.

"Yeah, he looked pissed!" Roxas nodded, agreeing. Despite how annoying his twin could be, he wouldn't trade Sora for anything in the world.

They were walking towards their dorm building, still laughing over how they'd unintentionally pissed someone off, when they both were slammed into by another body rushing past them.

"Ow!" Sora snapped as he sat up, rubbing his elbow.

"Damn it!" Roxas yelled. He brushed the dirt off of his white shirt as he stood. He turned to face the person who'd crashed into them. "Hey, what the hell's your problem?"

Standing in front of them, looking embarrassed, were two guys. One of them was a bit on the short side, wearing a pair of a tight, black jeans and a form-fitting, zippered sweater, his hair a strange, silver-blue color. One side was flipped over, covering his right eye from sight. The left eye that stared out at them was a deep, violet-blue. He was expressionless, almost cold looking.

The second guy was taller, wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a dark blue tank top that showed off his lithe musculature. He had short, dirty blond hair that looked as if it had been hacked off with a chainsaw. The half-mohawk, half-mullet style seemed to work for him though. His large eyes were a deep, green-blue and he was smiling ruefully.

But neither were the one who'd knocked the twins to the ground.

"Axel, you asshole, watch were you're going." The blond said.

Roxas glanced up and saw who had knocked him and his brother down. He was easily the tallest, skinniest, not the mention the most gorgeous, guy Roxas had ever seen.

_Wait…did I just think he was 'gorgeous'?!_ Roxas thought in a panic.

His hair was a bright, flaming red, the back spiked. His eyes were a startling shade of green that reminded Roxas of cat's eyes. What was more startling than the eyes themselves, were the two upside down, triangular tattoos beneath each one. Roxas winced just thinking about how much that had to have hurt to get done.

The redhead was wearing a pair of jeans with holes torn in both knees and duct tape holding the seams together. His shirt was black with a single red stripe across the chest that matched his hair.

And he was staring at Roxas just as intently as Roxas was staring at him.

His face turning red, Roxas looked away. "It's no big deal," he mumbled, helping Sora to his feet.

"You should really watch where the hell you're going, kid." The redhead snapped, giving Roxas a shove.

"Me?!" Roxas shouted. "YOU were the one who ran into ME. Why don't YOU watch where YOU'RE going?" he shoved the redhead back. The two began shoving each other, muttering curses back and forth.

"Rox, stop it, it's not worth it." Sora pleaded, trying to pull his brother off of the stranger. "Let's just go."

"The kid's got a point, Ax, let's go." The blond demanded.

"Wait!"

Everyone stopped, staring at the redhead who was watching a panting Roxas with a sudden, severe intent. He shrugged his friends off and walked up to Roxas until their bodies nearly touched. Roxas' face turned a deeper shade of red, but he didn't move.

-------------

Axel was amazed. Most people backed down when he started a fight. But not this little cutie. This kid was something else.

He was short, only about chest level with Axel himself, and looked almost…frail. His hair was golden blond and sticking up to the side in spikes.

But his eyes….oh, his eyes were the most magnificent thing Axel had ever seen.

They weren't just blue…they were _blue_, if that made any sense. The deepest, most amazing blue…

The boy was dressed in a pair of long, khaki shorts that reached to his knees and a long sleeved, white top. He was the most adorable thing standing there, panting heavily, his blue, blue eyes narrowed in anger, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Before I go…I just have one more thing to say," Axel murmured, leaning down.

The boy's eyes grew wide, but Axel struck before he could pull away.

Axel dove forward, pressing his lips firmly against the boy's. He held onto his upper arms, keeping the kid from pulling away.

Axel deepened the forced kiss, stroking his tongue slowly across the others lips.

"So cute…" he whispered.

The boy gasped and, just as Axel was about to take advantage of his open mouth…he was punched viciously in the head.

He yanked himself away from the kid. "Ow, what the fuck?" he rubbed his head and stared down at the boy, who looked beyond pissed and downright homicidal.

------------

Roxas couldn't believe that the redhead had kissed him. _Kissed him_.

It wasn't that he was homophobic, oh no, quite the contrary. Roxas himself was bisexual, but the fact that a total stranger, and an asshole at that, had just kissed him without permission…ugh!

"Don't you ever, EVER, touch me again, you filthy man whore!" he snarled, unable to come up with anything better than that. The redhead simply smiled at him and leaned down once more.

Roxas backed away quickly, his fists going up in defense.

------------

Zexion and Demyx grabbed Axel from behind and forced him away from the two younger boys.

"That's enough, Ax." Demyx said quietly, dragging the taller redhead.

Zexion just found the entire situation humorous and couldn't stop laughing, which was unlike him.

"Filthy man whore, I love it!" he chuckled some more. "That kid knows you well, and he hasn't even known you more than two minutes."

-----------

Sora gently touched his brother's tense shoulder.

"Rox?" he asked, shaking his brother a bit. "Roxas? Roxas!"

Roxas blinked, finally noticing his twin. "What?" he looked around but couldn't find a trace of the three guys they'd just run into.

Then he remembered the redhead and felt his temper flare again.

"That damn bastard! Who does he think he is, just going around and kissing people like that?"

"Uh, Rox, he only seemed to be kissing you." Sora teased, jumping away before Roxas could punch him.

"Shut up, you." Roxas snapped. He sighed in disgust. "With any luck, we'll never see those guys again." He hoped so. Roxas had found a new hate on his first day of college. That redhead was overbearing and inconsiderate.

Translation: asshole.

"I dunno…you seemed pretty into it, Rox." Sora continued with the teasing, skipping in circles around Roxas as they kept walking towards their dorm building in search of their room.

Roxas growled at his twin. "I said shut _up_, Sora."

"Alright, alright," Sora conceded. "I'll leave you alone about it." He giggled. "He was kinda cute though…and he was _totally_ into you!" Sora wasn't gay or bi himself, at least, that's what he claimed, but he fully supported his brother.

"I hate him. _Hate_ him." Roxas said vehemently. "He'd better steer clear, because if I get my hands on him, he'll wish he never met me."

"Technically…he didn't _meet_ you, Rox. He just ran into you and started macking." (for those of you who don't know what 'macking' means, it's intense, usually forced, kissing)

Roxas closed his eyes, praying for patience. He didn't want to kill his twin. He loved Sora dearly….but if he didn't stop soon, Roxas was gong to have to take action. And neither of them would enjoy the experience.

"Let's just get to our room."

"Okay, fine." Sora mumbled, still smiling. Thank god he'd stopped with the taunting though…

"Let's see here…building B…room 8." Roxas muttered as they walked into the building marked with a bright, red B next to the door. Just inside was a large common room with several over stuffed couches. A couple of people lounged on the couches, playing video games of just talking. Three hallways branched off from the common room. One on the far wall, one on the left and the other on the right.

Sora craned his neck to look at every corner of the room. Roxas just dragged his brother through the common room by the collar, along with their bags, to the hallway on the left. He counted as he passed each room.

"1…2…3….4…5…6…" he kept walking, dragging his cargo behind him while ignoring Sora's protests at being 'manhandled' as he put it. "7…8, here we are." Roxas dropped his brother and his bags, pushing open the door.

The room was a typical dorm room. Two bunk beds on either side of the room and a single twin-sized bed against the far wall. There were three desks in each corner and a large, walk in closet.

Sora ran over to one of the bunk beds and claimed the top bunk.

"Wow, Rox, we haven't had bunk beds since we were kids! This is great!" he bounced on the bed, smacking his head on the ceiling. "Ow!" Sora dropped to his knees, holding the top of his head.

Roxas laughed at his brother as he tossed his bags on the bed below Sora.

"You dork. And yes, I do remember when we had bunk beds." They'd fought over who got to sleep on top. Of course, though Sora won, it hadn't mattered. His twin had always climbed down and slept with Roxas anyway.

"I'm gonna make my bed!" Sora announced, reaching down, his fingers wiggling as he struggled to grasp his bag from three feet away. Basically asking Roxas to hand it to him.

Smiling, Roxas lifted the bag up to his brother, who snatched it away with a giggle and started to yank his bedding out.

They joked and laughed together as they made their beds and started taking out their clothes.

They grew silent, however, when the door to their room was flung carelessly open, slamming into the wall.

Roxas and Sora watched, wide-eyed, as three familiar figures entered the room, duffle bags and suitcases slung over their shoulders.

Roxas' face turned red as he glared. He pointed at a painfully familiar redhead. Said redhead also pointed, but he instead wore a look of pure happiness.

"YOU!" they shouted at the same time.

_Oh, boy_, the three others thought.

* * *

WEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! ok...i'm calm again...hehe...

So, how'd ya like it? Yeah, i was witness to the crime of watching some stranger kissing my friend without his permission. The dude was just messing with him, but still...twas funny when he got punched in the head (laughs and falls over) ow...

Oh, and that Staley character...he's actually a real person...yeah, an assistant principal at my high school...he's a jerk. I think I did a pretty good job of getting his personality right, lol.

Kanta: review...otherwise she'll cry...and that's annoying (glares at Ramen)

Ramen: (sticks tongue out) you're a mean muse! ...but you got a point. REVIEW PLEASE!!!???


	4. That's Amore

Okay, so, this chapter is a bit cracked...i don't even remember writing it...but i kept it anyway...my muse said it was good, so i'll keep it. enjoy!

Warning: i'm sick of posting this warning...it's yaoi people...or...it will be...eventually...for now, it's just Axel being a shit and giving Roxas crap, lol

Disclaimer: if i have to say that Kingdom Hearts and it's characters aren't mine one more time...i'll burst into unstoppable tears! ...well, not really...since it wouldn't be such a big hit if i'd made it XD

Kanta: let them read the goddamned chapter already, Ramen!

Ramen: (hides behind her chair) ahhh! stop yelling at me! (gets popcorn thrown at her) ACK! FINE, READ AND ENJOY, or hate...whatever floats your boat.

* * *

Demyx laughed nervously as he watched Axel chase the younger blond boy around their dorm room. Axel was cruising for a bruising, but he didn't seem to care as he ran after the boy, arms wide open and shouting, "Cutie!" over and over again as he tried to catch the fleeing blond.

"I haven't ever seen him this obsessed over somebody he's only just met," Zexion mused quietly.

Demyx glanced over at him and found that he had to agree. He'd never seen Axel literally _chase after_ a boy. It was like the redhead was moonstruck or something…

That thought gave Demyx an idea and he walked across the room, dodging the duo that was running in circles around the middle of the room. The brunet who'd been with the blond boy earlier sat up on his bunk, pointing and laughing, chanting, "Go, Roxy, go!"

Demyx sat on the single bed and pulled his sitar from its case. He hadn't invented the instrument as so many believed, but he had designed and built his own, which he held tenderly in his hands now. He ran his hands along the long neck. It was a unique shape and was colored a bright, sky blue.

He smiled and plucked a few stings before beginning to play.

"When the moon hits your eye,

Like a big pizza pie,

That's amore,"

Zexion leaned against the now closed door and laughed. Demyx continued to play and sing the song, which Axel began to sing along with as he continued to chase the blond around. The brunet on his top bunk was leaning over the edge and laughing so hard, his face was turning purple.

-------------

Roxas cursed as he stubbed his toe for the fifth time. It stung, but he wasn't about to stop running. Since the small, quiet one had blocked his only escape, he was trapped in this cramped room, with a psychotic stalker chasing him in circles, a crazy blond singing a song that was annoyingly ironic, and everyone was just laughing. Nobody was helping him!

He glared up at his twin as he passed their bunk. Nope, no help was coming from Sora anytime soon. If Sora didn't stop cackling to breathe he was going to—

Sora passed out from lack of air and slipped to the floor, landing heavily.

Roxas stopped, staring wide-eyed at his brother who lay there, seemingly dead.

"Sora?" he asked hoarsely, still breathing harshly from all the running.

The redhead caught up to him and tackled Roxas from behind, driving him forward. Long arms wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled him back up against the tall, thin frame of their owner.

--------------

Axel nuzzled the blond boy's hair. It was surprisingly silky. "Caught you cutie." He murmured softly in victory. The lack of reaction, violent or not, was worrying and Axel leaned forward to see over the blonde's shoulder.

Lying on the floor in front of them was the brunet he'd seen earlier. The kid was face down on the floor and had apparently fallen from the top bunk. His sleeveless, black top was bunched up around his waist and his cargo pants were wrinkled.

And he didn't appear to be breathing at all.

"Sora? Wake up you dork," the blond demanded, his tone dark. Not from anger, but from…fright? The blond kicked the brunet in the side. "I said, WAKE UP!"

The brunet twitched and moaned, turning his face to the side before he seemed to pass out again. The blond cutie in his arms let out a quiet sigh of relief before he elbowed Axel in the ribs hard enough to make him stumble back, wheezing.

-------------

"Don't touch me," Roxas snarled as he lifted his limp brother off the floor and flopped him onto the nearest bed.

"No introduction?" the redhead whined, following Roxas around the room. Every time he tried to touch him, Roxas slapped his hands away like he was a naughty child, which seemed to egg the redhead on more.

"My name's Axel Utada. That's Axel. A-X-E-L. Commit it to memory."

"I. Don't. _Care._" Roxas groaned as he kept walking and slapping.

"The one with the fucked up hair and sitar in his lap is Demyx. Demyx Utada." Axel continued, despite Roxas' unenthusiastic reply.

That caught him off guard and Roxas froze. He switched his gaze back and forth between the redhead, Axel, and the blond who'd been singing, Demyx. They looked nothing alike in the slightest.

"Riiiight…." And off he went again, trying to dodge the groping hands of a certain redheaded cretin.

"No, you see, I'm actually adopted." Axel explained, even though Roxas showed no interest in the matter. "Yeah, you see, Dem's aunt adopted me, and we grew up together."

Roxas snorted, but didn't reply.

"And Mr. Short, Shy, and Emo over there," Axel nodded at the rather peeved looking shorter boy by the door, his arms crossed. "His name's Zexion Izumi."

Demyx plucked a few random cords on his sitar before glancing back up at the two who were still pacing around and around the room. "What're your names?" he asked as he pointed at the twins.

Roxas blew out a frustrated breath and gave in.

"My name is Roxas Hikari." Sora snorted real loud as he walked past, as if making sure that Roxas didn't forget about him.

Roxas waved a hand dismissively at his unconscious brother. "And that's my brother, Sora."

"Well, hi!" Demyx chimed happily.

Sora took that greeting as a rude wake up call. He shot up, slamming his head against the bed above him.

"Ow…" he groaned, rolling off the bed. "What happened?"

"You passed out you dork." Roxas snapped as he shoved Sora out of the way and finished pulling out his clothes from his bag. He meticulously folded them before packing them away in his designated side of the closet.

The entire time he did this, Axel watched with a strange, hazed look in his eyes. He watched the way Roxas moved, the way he kept running a hand through that spikey hair of his, mussing it and making it stick up more than before. He was too cute for his own good, and Axel decided that, yes, he was glad that he'd come back to school.

Because, pass or fail, it was all worth it in the end to meet Roxas.

* * *

"Roxas," Sora shook his brother's shoulder again. "Roxas!" 

"What, Sora, what?!" Roxas finally shouted, glaring at his brother. He hadn't meant to shout, but Axel had been slowly wearing down on his nerves, hovering over him, brushing up against him at every opportunity, basically invading his personal bubble. Roxas was just glad that he was finished unpacking and could leave the room.

Sora yanked his hand back and looked away. "Nothing. Never mind."

"Aw, now why'd you have to go and do that, cutie-pie?" Axel admonished. He roughly rubbed Sora's head. "Wazzup, Sora? Waddaya need?"

"Um…" Sora turned his head, ducking out from under Axel's hand. "Sorry, but I wasn't talking to you…I was talking to my brother."

"Stop touching my little brother, Axel." Roxas growled, standing to slap Axel's hand away.

Axel smirked cockily. "Ooo, you _jealous_, Roxy-poo?" he slowly ran his fingers through Roxas' golden blond hair. "You'd rather I only touch you? Cuz I'm game for that."

Roxas stiffened at Axel's touch.

"Get. Your. Filthy. Hands. Off. Of. Me. NOW!!!" as he screamed the last word, Roxas fisted his hands and popped Axel in the jaw, sending the redhead to the floor.

Zexion chuckled lightly, amused by the sight of Axel being put firmly in his place. Too bad the rebel didn't know the meaning of the word 'no'. Zexion glanced over at Demyx, who was blissfully oblivious of the current fight. Instead, the musician was strumming a relaxing tune, humming along softly.

"What did you want, Sora?" Roxas asked calmly, ignoring the off put Axel who was sitting on the floor, holding his face.

"I-I…." Sora smothered the giggles trying to break free. "I was just wondering when we were gonna go get something to eat."

"Again? Sora, we ate not even an hour ago."

"I know…but I'm hungry, Rox." Sora pouted at his twin, knowing that Roxas could never resist the puppy-dog look for long.

"Ugh…fine, alright already. Grab your bag, let's go." Roxas snatched up his own backpack that still held his school papers and headed for the door.

Sora scrambled to find his bag before slinging it carelessly over one shoulder. He bounded after his twin, grinning from ear to ear, happy to get his way.

"We'll go with you!" Axel called as he stumbled to his feet, a bruise already forming on his jaw and cheek from Roxas' punch. "We're sophomores, we can show you all the great places to get some grub!"

He followed after the two brothers, only to be stopped dead by Roxas' deadpanned words.

"You guys still haven't unpacked yet. You haven't even chosen a bunk."

Demyx hopped over to the other set of bunk beds and claimed the one on top by tossing his duffle up onto the mattress. "Picked mine!" he announced, laughing.

Zexion kicked his bag over to the bottom bunk below Demyx and remained silent, opting to instead stand against the wall and watch passively.

Axel grinned. "Okay…I choose to bunk with you, Roxy-poo!" he sat on the edge of Roxas' bed and patted the spot next to him. "So, now we can show you around, and then later we can spend all the time in the world together."

Roxas clenched his hands into fists again, his face flushing in anger.

"No, you're not showing us around. No, you're not sharing my bed. And NO, we won't spend ANY time together, EVER!" he jerked open the door and slipped through, not even waiting for Sora to follow before slamming it smartly. The clap echoed in the now silent room.

Demyx coughed into his fist. "Is he always so…" he couldn't think of a delicate way to phrase his question.

Sora sighed. "Yeah, my brother's been like that for years. He's got a rotten temper and no patience." He tossed Axel a teasing grin. "If you want him, you're gonna have to work for it."

The redhead simply leaned his weight back on his hands, braced on either side of his body.

"I think I've got the drive…" he said quietly, his hooded eyes never leaving the door the young blond had only seconds ago abused.

"Um…well, okay then." Sora rubbed a hand over his hair before turning away. He waved at his three roommates over his shoulder as he walked out.

"See ya guys later!" the door closed behind him, considerably softer than when Roxas had stormed out.

Demyx and Zexion gazed amusedly over at Axel, who was still staring at the door as if envisioning the angry, red-faced Roxas standing there.

"Guys…" he finally said.

They both raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

Axel slowly moved his cat-green eyes over to them.

"I think I'm in love."

They exchanged a glance before looking back at their red-haired friend, hiding smiles behind their hands.

* * *

You see? total crack like i said! I hope you liked it though...i, to be honest, hate it...but everybody's their own worst critic, right?

So, press that lovely review button and prove me right (or wrong, if you're sick and sadistic like that, i don't care!)

----Ramen


	5. Of Obsessions and Cinnamon Buns

HI! ahem...forgive me...just excited is all...

yes, i am continuing with my upload frenzy. I'm trying to get all the stuff i gots done up here so i can concentrate the rest of my weekend and the coming days after on writing more! more, always more! o.O that's right...hehe...

Warning: NEVER AGAIN!

Disclaimer: (sighs) KH is not mine. it's characters aren't mine. if they were, i wouldn't have to write fanfiction, would i? i could just make the characters bend to my almighty will! MUHAHAHA!

I'd like to thank those of you who have reviewed. I'd list your names, but i'm just too lazy for that. You know who you are anyways, so why bother? Okey-tay! We've gots a new chappie just a-waitin' for someone to read it. Read and enjoy...or else...

Kanta: don't threaten your readers...you'll scare them away...

Ramen: THEY AREN'T SCARED! (pauses and looks at readers) are you?

* * *

"Rox," Sora complained as he poked at the blueberry muffin sitting on a small plate before him. "Why do I have to eat this? Couldn't we get a burger or something?"

Roxas sighed as he stirred more cream into his coffee.

"No, Sora, now eat."

"But, Roxas," Sora whined. He continued to poke contemptuously at the offensive muffin. Sora pouted as he viciously stabbed his fork into the poor pastry.

"I wanted REAL food."

Trying to hold onto his patience, Roxas took a careful sip from the steaming mug. He grimaced and set the cup back on the table, adding even more cream.

"Sora, that IS real food. What you eat all the time is bad for you."

"Well, I'd rather eat what's bad for me than THAT, it doesn't even have any sugar in it." he indicated the muffin that still sat in front of him, the handle of his fork sticking straight up out of it, like a grave marker.

_Rest in peace, you evil muffin…._ Sora thought in disdain.

"I mean, the least you could've done is buy me a cinnamon bun or something…"

"You're getting heavy, Sora. I'm trying to save you from obesity." Roxas calmly replied, taking another tentative sip of his coffee. It still wasn't how he liked it, but he doubted it ever would be. So, the blond decided to count his losses. At least he was getting his daily dose of caffeine. Who cared if it tasted horrible?

Sora stuck his tongue out at his brother. He wasn't getting FAT! How dare his brother even _think_ such a thing?

"Oh yeah? Well, that coffee is making you _short_." He retorted childishly.

Roxas only chuckled at him. Sora was only a measly three inches taller than he was.

"You're one to talk, shorty."

"Am not." Sora shot back.

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT!!" the brunet screamed, slamming his fists on the table.

"Are t—''

"Mind if we join you?" a voice broke in.

The twins froze and slowly turned their heads in unison to see their three roommates standing next to the table.

Axel leaned down and planted his hands on the table. Smiling, he asked again. "Well, do you?"

"Yes," Roxas snapped. "As a matter of fact, we DO mind!"

"Perfect!" Axel beamed and waved his two friends over.

Sora smiled in greeting, ever the peace maker. Roxas, however, pounced on a fact he was rather proud of.

"Oh, but this table only seats two. Sorry, looks like you'll just have to sit somewhere else. Too bad. Sorry again. Buh-bye."

"That's not a problem at all, Roxy-poo." Axel cooed and Roxas felt his eyes twitch at the nickname.

Axel, Demyx, and Zexion then proceeded to drag another table over, shoving it against the one the twins sat at. Sora was delighted.

Roxas felt like he'd just been sent down death row.

Sentenced.

Doomed.

They each grabbed a chair and sat, Axel of course choosing to sit next to Roxas. He politely nodded at the waitress who came over and handed them menus.

"Would you like to hear our specials, boys?" she asked cheerfully.

"Ah, no thanks." Axel replied, handing her back his menu. "What I want isn't on your menu…" he purposefully held Roxas' eye as he spoke. The blond cringed away from the redhead, a look of pure shock and disgust on his face.

"I'll just have three cinnamon buns and a berry smoothie." He glanced over to Roxas again and winked. Roxas snorted and turned to face the wall, chugging his nasty coffee.

"Sure, anything else?"

Demyx ordered a slice of apple pie and stuck with water to drink. Zexion asked quietly for a cup of lemon tea.

The waitress scribbled their orders down quickly on her notepad before sticking the small pencil behind her ear. She looked up at them and smiled a warm, welcoming smile.

Her hair was twisted in a messy knot atop her head, the curls a bright, bubble-gum pink. Bright green eyes gleamed out at them from under a heavy layer of mascara.

Despite her crazily dyed hair and overuse of eye makeup, she was nice enough. Her black slacks were a bit wrinkled and her white top was a bit too large for her, the hem twisted into a knot on her side. She smelled heavily of coffee beans and cinnamon.

"I'm Asmara, by the way." She said when the boys continued to stare. She held out her manicured hand, the nails a coral pink that matched her hair. "You guys new students here too?"

Sora grinned and stood, leaning over everyone to shake the girl's hand.

"Yeah, me and my brother are new here." He jerked his head over at Roxas, still shaking Asmara's hand enthusiastically. "I'm Sora, he's Roxas."

Asmara laughed, the sound genuine and bright, like the rest of her. "Great to meet you Sora, Roxas." She nodded at each of the twins. "What about the rest of your friends?"

"They aren't our friends," Roxas interjected, glaring at Axel. If looks could kill…

"Sure we are!" Axel said brightly. He wrapped an arm around Roxas' shoulder and shook him a bit, ignoring how the boy pushed away from him. "The best of buddies. We're roommates too." He held out his free hand. "I'm Axel. That's A-X-E-L, got it memorized?"

"I think so, hi." Asmara shook his hand briefly.

"Demyx," the dirty-blond haired boy said happily.

"It's nice to meet you too, Demyx." She sighed. "What a nice name." she glanced over at Zexion, who was just sitting silently, staring hard at Demyx with an odd expression on his face.

When he made no move to introduce himself, Axel nudged him.

Zexion glared at the redhead, but still didn't say anything.

"His name's Zexion." Axel said for him. "He's emo, so don't bother trying to talk to him."

Another glare was shot his way as Asmara walked off to get their orders, laughing.

Axel ignored the dirty look and turned his attention back to Roxas.

"Now, why'd you slam the door on your brother on the way out of the room, Roxy-poo? That wasn't very nice."

Roxas grabbed Axel's hand off his shoulder, yanking it over his head before biting it.

"Ouch!" Axel squawked, snatching his hand back, rubbing the fingers that hat been bitten. "That wasn't very nice either, Roxy…" he leaned towards the blond, pressing him up against the wall.

"It was, however," he whispered. "Very kinky…"

"Stop it, please! Just leave me alone!" Roxas said desperately, feeling trapped as he pushed at an unmoving Axel.

"Sure…but only because you said please." Axel sat back in his own chair, a cocky, satisfied grin on his face.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a Zippo. The case of the lighter was black, and bright red and orange flames swirled across it. It was clearly custom-made. His one treasure.

Axel picked up his napkin and flicked the lighter open, setting the paper ablaze. Axel watched intently as the flames quickly devoured the napkin. He tossed it into the air just as the last of it went up in a flash. (if you've never seen this done before, you cannot truly understand how cool it is)

Smiling, he reached across the table, stealing Sora's napkin next. The brunet watched in awe as Axel did the same display with that one, setting it on fire and flicking the last bit into the air. His green eyes glowed with pleasure at the sight of the flickering fire and floating pieces of charred paper that settled gently back onto the table top.

"Not here, pyro." Zexion admonished, flipping through a discarded newspaper he'd found. He didn't even look up, just continued to read as he lectured Axel.

As petty revenge, Axel lit up Zex's napkin next.

"Here ya are, boys," Asmara quipped brightly, breaking the tense silence. She came up to their table with a black tray balanced on one hand. With the other, she distributed their orders, naming them off as she set them in front of each person.

"Lemon tea for Zexion," she placed a small china cup with a saucer in front of the silent, slate-haired boy.

"Apple pie for Demyx." She returned the smile Demyx gave her as she set the small plate in front of him.

"And a berry smoothie with three cinnamon buns for Axel."

After she'd emptied her tray, Asmara winked at them before whirling away and disappearing behind the tall counter.

"Wow…she remembered your guys' names and everything!" Sora said, amazed. He stared at the spot where Asmara had disappeared, his jaw slack and his bright blue eyes wide. "Wow…just…wow," he breathed. (no, there is not SoraxOC in the future…Sora was made for Riku…I wouldn't want to upset that delicate balance…he's just admiring her)

Roxas kicked Sora under the table, making the brunet jump in his chair with a yelp.

"Roxaaaaas!" Sora whined, rubbing his shin. "What was that for?"

There hadn't been a real reason to his sudden urge to be violent, but Roxas had acted on the impulse regardless. What was wrong with him?

Hm, maybe it could possibly be that the redhead next to him, who was obnoxiously slurping his berry smoothie, was eyeing him like a staved dog eyed a juicy steak.

_Lord a' mercy_, Roxas thought irritably as Axel leaned into him again. Why couldn't the bastard take a hint? Even if he didn't hate Axel, even if he didn't think the redhead was the most irritating, annoying, headache-inducing…yeah…Roxas knew he still wouldn't be interested. He wasn't on the lookout to be part of another relationship.

Especially one that was doomed from the very start.

Axel wasn't his type. And Roxas wondered wildly why he was even thinking in terms of relationships. He absolutely didn't want anything, ANYTHING to do with that. Romance was a crock and not in his future. Roxas felt nothing would get Axel away from him except to say just that.

Not that he would. Knowing what he did about Axel, Roxas knew he'd demand an explanation. Something like, "_Why aren't I your type? I'm everybody's type_". Yeah, that sounded about right.

But Roxas wasn't about to spout his darkest, most dreaded secrets to a total stranger, just to get the irritating guy away from him. Especially when it wouldn't work!

Lost in thought, Roxas didn't notice his brother talking to him. Blinking several times, Roxas stared at his brunet twin blankly. "Sorry, what was that Sora?"

"I was wondering if we were gonna leave any time soon. I mean, everybody's done with their food and drinks and stuff." Sora pointed out the empty cups and plates. Roxas glanced up to see Asmara's pink curls bobbing as she deftly swept their dishes onto her black tray and whisked them away to the kitchen.

All the patrons of their table were staring at him expectantly.

"Um…" Roxas felt his face heat up in a blush and he hung his head to hide it. "Sure, whatever." He stood, tossing the money for his and Sora's orders, plus a tip, on the table and grabbed his bag off the floor.

Axel stood with him and reached over to touch Roxas' shoulder softly. Roxas, of course, jerked away and tried to distract himself from his rising temper by pulling out his class schedule.

Sora trotted to catch up to his twin, falling into step on Roxas' opposite side since Axel refused to budge from the other. Demyx and Zexion brought up the rear, Demyx talking excitedly as Zexion paid for their orders before smoothly striding up to the door.

Demyx smacked into the glass face first before stepping back and opening the door, never pausing in his story of how inspiration stuck him once while he using the bathroom.

Zexion nodded along, only half listening. He glared at the back of Axel's head as the pyro brushed up against Roxas again. If he didn't watch it, the blond was going to get fed up and any chance Axel had was going to go down the drain.

It was clear that there was the need for divine intervention to make anything work between the two. They were both stubborn and hot-tempered, and if Axel kept pushing Roxas' buttons, things were going to get ugly.

But, did anyone else see the impeding doom? No. Zexion sighed quietly to himself. It seemed like he was going to have to the Saving Grace…_again_.

But hey, what were best friends for?

* * *

Ooooo...GO ZEXY GO! hehehe, so, we meet my OC Asmara...isn't she just so sweet? yeah, she has her role in future chapters. Oh, and you get an inside look into Roxas' reason for being so gosh darn uptight and all around mean.

But wait, it gets better! you see, the real reason he's like that is cuz--

Kanta: (covers Ramen's mouth) don't give it all away you idiot!

Ramen: (licks Kanta's hand)

Kanta: YUCK!

Ramen: please review pplz! they make-a me happeh! and a happeh Ramen writes! X3


	6. New Priorities

Okay, this one is kinda weird, so listen good, mkay? This part of the story takes place before, during, and after Sora, Roxas and the gang enter, leave, blah, the cafe in the previous chapter. This, however, is written in another character's point of view...I'll give you three guesses who it is, since it's rather obvious...in fact, make that two guesses...alright, one, because short of saying his name, I practically told you who it was.

Warning: i said...NEVER AGAIN! you all know where this story is headed...

Disclaimer: this is getting rather irritating too...but i'll write it anyways. I don't own KH or the characters...i'm just messing with 'em...hehehe...

* * *

Sitting alone in the back of his favorite campus café, a boy with long, shaggy, silver hair gazed around the quaint, open space. The quiet conversations, the soft sound of keys on a keyboard being tapped as someone typed up a paper on their laptop, the gently clink of china on china, all were like an orchestra of life, conducted by those who lived it.

Aquamarine eyes slid over the three waitresses who trotted back and forth from the kitchen to a table, occasionally pausing to snatch up a cup for a refill or take the order of a new patron. Everything fit. Every_one_ fit.

He just wished that he did, too.

There was so little in life that he could enjoy now. Everything was wrong, messed up, turned upside down, and he didn't know how to handle it. That was why he was here in the first place. Here, he could lose himself. Here, he could find a peaceful obliviousness from his depressive thinking.

_I never would've thought I'd end up here trying to forget about them…_ he shook his head lightly. Life was crazy sometimes. Every aspect of it was never to be taken for granted. Who knew when it would viciously strike and leave you with nothing?

He'd learned that lesson the hard and painful way.

A small smile with no mirth curved his lips as he lifted the steaming mug to his mouth. He paused for a moment to simply inhale the bittersweet scent of his cappuccino before taking a modest sip. He closed his eyes, rolling the hot liquid on his tongue for a bit, careful not to burn himself before allowing it to slide smoothly down his throat.

Those aqua eyes snapped open as the small bell attached to the glass door jingled, signaling a new customer. Why he felt compelled to watch this particular person enter, he didn't know, but he was grateful for the intuition the instant he spotted the brunet.

Those spiky, chocolate colored locks bounced around a round face that sported a smile bright enough to rival the sun. Exotic, cerulean eyes flitted over every corner of the café as if to take in everything at once.

The boy was short, his beige cargo pants a bit baggy, held up with a studded blue belt. His sleeveless black shirt hung off his slight frame like a bag, yet only served to make him seem all the more adorable.

He wore an entirely innocent expression, the spring in his step light and happy. The silver-haired boy instantly knew that the brunet had known little, if no, hardship in his life. The air of satisfaction and his relaxed countenance told the entire story.

The brunet's companion, however, was the complete opposite in demeanor.

The blond walk slightly hunched forward, instead of upright and proud like the brunet. With hands stuffed in his pockets, those eyes that matched the bubbly brunet's perfectly slashed over every person in the café. And it looked as pleasant as it sounded. The blond looked wary of everyone, as if he thought everyone was out to get him.

He was guarded, and angry, the boy concluded as he watched how the blond contemptuously tossed his bag to the floor and slumped into his chair.

_Takes one to know one_, he reminded himself, taking another sip of his beverage.

The brunet sat across from the blond, all cheery. "Hey, Roxas," he chirped, "Dontcha think this place is amazing?"

The blond, Roxas, snorted.

"Yeah, whatever. Sure." He waved down a waitress and ordered a coffee, black, and a blueberry muffin.

Craning his neck around, the brunet smiled absently, a vacant cast clouding his beautiful blue eyes. The silver-haired boy's smile grew wider and more genuine. Whoever this kid was, he'd captivated all of his attention. It was refreshing to see such oblivious joy after spending so much time wallowing in his own darkness.

"Sora," the blond boy named Roxas sighed. "Try not to swallow your tongue or anything."

The brunet snapped his head over to the blond.

"Why do you have to be so mean, Roxy?" he asked innocently.

_Because life hasn't been kind to him,_ the platinum-haired voyeur answered silently.

The blond chose not to answer, however, and turned his attention to the coffee that had just been placed in front of him. The brunet wrinkled his nose cutely in distaste as a blueberry muffin, perched on a tiny plate, was set before him.

"Rox," he complained, picking up his fork and poking the muffin. "Why do I have to eat this? Couldn't we get a burger or something?" (lol, sound familiar?)

The blond sighed and dumped an obscene amount of cream into his coffee. "No, Sora, now eat."

"But, Roxas," he whined, still prodding with his fork. He suddenly stabbed the silverware into the muffin. "I wanted REAL food." The blonde's response went unheeded as the silver-haired boy became entranced by the brunet's intriguing pout. He looked absolutely adorable with his full, lower lip poking out like that.

_Sora…_

"Sky," the boy whispered to himself. "Sora means 'sky'." No other name could've fit the brunet better. He was infinitely, joyously bright, just like the summer sky.

He was so absorbed in the brunet, Sora, that he barely took notice of the three boys that joined the table. His heart skipped a beat as he heard the brunet laugh. It was only when they stood to leave that he snapped out of his self-induced hypnosis.

As the boy left the café and disappeared from sight, the boy sitting in the corner alone felt a twinge of sadness. Without Sora there to brighten the room with his smile, with his purity, the world was back to its usual monotony, its typical dismal atmosphere.

_Perhaps there are still things in life worth living for, _the boy thought as he finished his drink and stood, leaving his payment on the table.

He knew right then and there that he'd found a purpose in life again…Sora.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that afternoon found the group, with one reluctant member, in the campus park. Flowers, trees, a giant, three-tiered fountain centered in the square…typical scenic setup. It was more for show than for relaxation, but with nothing to do for the rest of the day but explore the campus, the park seemed better than nothing.

Demyx still walked beside Zexion, talking animatedly with exaggerated hand movements that nearly knocked the blond off balance.

Axel was still annoying the crap out of Roxas, who was stalking through the park faster and faster, hunching into himself further and further with each step, trying to escape.

Sora, oblivious as usual, was staring up at the fluffy white clouds and trying his best to not bother his brother. Roxas had enough on his plate dealing with the redheaded pyro, Axel. But…Sora sighed.

He was still hungry.

* * *

GAH! I know, my chapters have been getting shorter and shorter! I MUST DO SOMETHING!!!! (falls over unconcious) 

Kanta: (sighs) give her a minute...(watches as Ramen springs back up) or not...

Okay, so, if you think you know (bad question, i know, i just want an excuse to have people review my story, lol) who the boy in the beginning of the chapter, with the depressive, dark attitude and strange obsession with Sora is, hit the review button and let me know!

I promise to do my best to bust out another chapter, but it would really help if you all reviewed and told me what you like and don't like, maybe send in a suggestion or two, ask questions...like, what does Zexion have planned to get Axel and Roxas together? When will Asmara show up again? Will Demyx ever shut up? (lol, sorry, i truly love Demyx, y'all) What will our newest character do now that he has discovered the wonder that is Sora? Will Sora ever get something to eat?!

Not that you have to or anything...i'm just saying that it would be nice, y'know?

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!

------Ramen


	7. A Truce and a Plan

Yay! I'm on a frenzy!!! Y'all have been such an inspiration. my meager count of reviews bothers me not! ...okay, so maybe it does a little..but that's not the point! the point is, i'm getting them, along with people favoriting the story, which makes me bounce and squeal! X3.

So, because you're all sooo very insipring to me (cheers and does a happy dance) i've made this chappie extra, super deliciously long! WEEEEEE!

Disclaimer: KH not mine, don't even really want it...okay, that's a lie...i _could_ use the money and fame...but sadly, it isn't mine to claim (sighs)

Kanta: good things come to those who wait...

Ramen: these people didn't come here for a philosphy lesson, KK...they came here for the story...so shut up and let them read!

Kanta: riiight...go ahead and read...(rolls eyes and goes to make popcorn)

* * *

-----------------_That Night_------------------

"Wow…what an incredibly boring day that was…"

"Stop your bitching," Roxas snapped, trying to cover a yawn. Axel just smirked down at him, making the blond shudder.

It had, indeed, been a rather dull day, however much Roxas hated to agree with Axel. They'd walked around the park for a while, then just wandered aimlessly. The afternoon filled to the brink with Demyx talking, Zexion half listening. Axel still attempting to grope, and Roxas constantly slapping him away.

The only highlight had been when Sora had disappeared for a brief time. The monotony of the day had been broken as the group had spilt up and formed search parties to find their lost member.

Only to find that Sora had stolen Roxas' wallet and gone off in search of food. (lol, go Sora!)

Roxas sighed anew at the memory. Sora should've just said something. Then again, Sora had probably reached the same conclusion that Roxas would've responded in one of two ways…

One: "Sora, shut up." And a dismissing turn of the shoulder.

Two: "Sora, shut up." With some sort of physical contact…and no, not a hug.

Now, even though it was hardly eight at night, the group had returned to their room and were getting ready for bed. Tomorrow was their first lecture, and Roxas for one, didn't want to be late. It was a bad first impression.

However, it seemed that whatever powers were above were against Roxas getting any sleep…

First off, Axel tried to sleep in his bed, which resulted in a rather foul mouth from Roxas and a bruised body and ego for the redhead, who stumbled back to his single bed, looking like he'd been attacked by a rabid badger.

Secondly, Sora was still complaining about how their dinner had been too small and unappetizing. All Sora ever thought about was food, and it was really starting to wear down on Roxas' nerves. And after a stern talking to from his twin (which included the words: Sora, shut, up, fuck, food, and idiot, not in that order) Sora finally climbed up to his bunk and fell asleep.

Third, Demyx snored. Loud. 'Nuff said.

Fourth…oh, did he really need to go on? His roommates were going to be the death of him. Roxas felt like he was going insane, and he hadn't even known these guys more than a day.

_I'm starting to prefer life at home to this…_ Roxas thought as he lay awake, still, staring at the bottom of Sora's bunk. His twin was rolling around and making odd noises in his sleep, which the brunet tended to do if he went to bed hungry.

Roxas turned his head to stare out into the room. It was dark, so he couldn't see much, but he could make out the bunk beds on the opposite wall. On the top he could just barely see the outline of Demyx, sprawled out on his bed and, yes, snoring like there was no tomorrow. Below the snore-monster, Zexion lay, unmoving, but Roxas wasn't all that sure he was asleep. That kid was creepy. Roxas wouldn't be surprised if Zexion didn't need to sleep at all.

"Psst, Roxas…you awake, muffin-cake?" came a whispered call from somewhere above his head, towards the back wall of the room.

Roxas growled and covered his face with his hands. "Axel, I'm going to kill you in your sleep if you ever call me that again."

"Oh, good, you are awake." He said, sounding relieved. The fact that he completely ignored Roxas' threat wasn't lost on the blond, who groaned at the unfairness of his life.

"What do you want?"

-----------------

Axel paused at Roxas' question, amazed that the boy had actually caved and given him a chance to speak. Wow, he must be making progress then. Booyah!

"Well?" Roxas growled, sounding impatient.

"Oh, yeah," _I'd better hurry this up._ Axel told himself. _What was it Zex said? Oh, right…_ "Hey, listen, seeing as we're kinda…stuck together for the semester…how's about a truce, hmm?"

Silence. Then:

"What?"

"Look, I know I've been a bit…oh hell, it doesn't matter how I've been." Axel hurried on as he realized he was slowly botching this whole thing.

_Zexion told you to just be his friend for now. "Let him get comfortable around you before you start into your vicious pursuits."_ Axel reminded himself, taking a deep breath.

"I just wanted to say…sorry and…can we be…um…friends?" he grew more and more tense as each second passed without an answer from Roxas. Just silence. Not even movement. Hell, even _Demyx_ seemed to have paused in his snoring to wait in anticipation of the blonde's answer.

-------------------

Roxas couldn't believe the gall of the guy. First, he kisses him without permission or introduction, then he proceeds to make his first day at college, and seemingly the rest of his lifetime, hell on wheels by giving him unwanted advances.

But…Roxas couldn't help but hear the sincerity in those words, and, although he was a prick ninety-nine percent of the time, he figured giving Axel a second chance wasn't too much.

"Fine…" Roxas sighed in defeat. "But I just want to get one thing clear."

"Fire away," Axel replied excitedly.

"Don't touch me, don't kiss me, and don't make any more sexual advances."

"Aw, but Roxy—''

"And if you want to be my friend, you aren't allowed to call me any of those irritating nicknames. No 'Roxy', no 'Roxy-poo', wherever the hell you came up with that, no 'muffin-cake', which I find offensive and in no way endearing, just…call me by my name and I'll call you by yours." _Instead of inconsiderate asshole prick bastard…or something like that…_

"You got it, dude," There was the soft sound of rustling sheets as Axel shifted on his bed. "So, now that we're buddies, I just gotta ask."

Roxas groaned again. "Axel, I have to get to sleep."

"I know, I know, I'll make this quick, I promise." He assured. When Roxas didn't object, just glared into the darkened room, Axel went on. "I just wanna know…why're you so angry all the time?"

Roxas stiffened, fury rising within him. "Goodnight, Axel." He rolled over to his side and ignored the redhead's pleas for attention. How could he ask that? _He hasn't even known me a whole day and already he's asking me to tell him everything. Who the hell does this guy think he is?_

--------------------

Axel sighed. _I really stepped in it this time_. Man, he'd really blown it, hadn't he? Zexion told him to be gentle about it. To offer Roxas friendship to get to know each other better. And what had he done? He'd gone and offended Roxas…_again_.

He turned to look over at the bunk where he knew Roxas lay, still awake by the sound of his breathing. Although, how he heard that over Sora's strange, mewling noises and Demyx's snoring, he'll never know.

_Just give me one more chance, Roxas._ He begged silently. _Take a chance on me..._

---------------------

_(((((Three days later)))))_

"I know! This weekend, we should totally get together and do something!" Demyx shouted, standing up from his chair.

Zexion rolled his eyes and, keeping his attention on the book he held in one hand, used the free one to yank Demyx back down by the seat of his pants.

Demyx squeaked at Zexion's hand on his butt and squirmed away, his face a bright red.

"Easy there, tiger, don't get so fresh." Axel purred as he leaned over Roxas, who sat in the corner, trying to ignore the fact that the redhead existed, let alone was hovering over him.

"You should never give advice you, yourself, don't follow, Axel." Zexion countered, still reading. How did he do that? Roxas wondered. _Hell, if I'd had to grow up with Axel and Demyx, I'd be able to tune them out that well, too,_ he decided.

It had been only three days since classes started, and already Roxas wanted to pull his hair out in frustration. He had to handle getting to his lectures on time while trying to keep Axel's hands off of him, _just friends my ass..._while at the same time trying to survive Sora's random sugar-highs, sleep through Demyx's obnoxious snoring, and keep himself from acting on the homicidal tendencies that filled him every second of each day.

"If I survive to this weekend, sure." Roxas grumbled, not meaning it. But, since Axel was so close, the redhead heard and cheered overdramatically.

"YEAH!" he raised his fists in the air triumphantly. "Oh! I know! We could totally go to the beach! That would be AWESOME!"

Though he tried to fight the urge, Roxas found himself smiling at Axel's enthusiasm. The guy never ran out of things to say. He was always thinking positively and living in the moment. Whereas Roxas could never do that. He was always thinking about tomorrow. Next week. Next month. Next year. He was always planning ahead, while Axel took each day as it came.

Sometimes, Roxas envied the redhead that.

Sora came stumbling into the room, seconds before the professor swiftly came out of his office and stood at the head of the class.

Sitting heavily in the chair in front of his twin, Sora yawned and laid his head down on the table.

Roxas leaned forward and tapped Sora on the shoulder. His twin was always awake. Always ready. And never, NEVER late. Something had to be up.

--------------------------

_Oh god, I can't sleep anymore, the nightmares are just too much. All I see is those creepy eyes following me everywhere, that creepy guy always everywhere I go, I can't get away from him even in my dreams! He's haunting me, like some kind of messed up ghost! _

_Wait…he's not a ghost is he? Please, god, don't let him be a ghost. He could read my thoughts! _

_He could be in this very room, right this second…staring at me…always staring…._

Sora groaned and wrapped his arms around his head. Who was that weirdo he always saw following him every day?

---------------------------

"Sor…what's up?" Roxas whispered. Apparently, he wasn't quiet enough because the professor called his name.

"Mr. Hikari!" the middle-aged man, wearing a typical brown suit and small glasses that couldn't have done him any good in seeing better perched on his nose, called. "Would you care to share your thoughts on today's lecture with the rest of the class?"

"Um…no sir…sorry sir." Roxas immediately apologized, sitting back in his chair and covering his face. _Crap, I'm so embarrassed…_

Axel stood up. _Uh-oh_, Roxas thought as he saw the hard look in those green eyes.

"OI! I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON YOUR LECTURE!" the redhead shouted, hands cupped around his mouth to amplify the sound.

_Why me?_ Roxas thought miserably as all eyes turned on him and Axel while he tried to become invisible.

"Yes, Mr. Utada…please, do share." The professor seemed a little too satisfied that Axel had spoken up…what was he planning?

"I THINK YOU OWE MY PAL HERE AN APOLOGY!"

"I think he can hear you, Axel, you don't need to scream any more." Zexion broke in, turning the page in his book. Demyx rubbed a hand over his hair and grinned sheepishly over at Roxas. His look plainly saying _"you're on your own"_.

"And why, I must ask, do you say that?" the professor countered.

"HE DIDN'T DO—'' Axel paused mid-sentence as Roxas grabbed his arm and shook his head, pleading with his eyes.

"I mean…he didn't do anything wrong…you hadn't even started your stupid lecture yet. So I think it's pretty lame how you get him in trouble and stuff for no reason." Axel finished lamely, inwardly kicking himself for such a weak argument.

The class quietly laughed at him as the professor sneered back.

"Yes, well, I see your point…Sit down and pay attention to my 'stupid lecture' before I throw you out of my classroom, Mr. Utada."

Axel sat and stared straight ahead, feeling like a failure.

Roxas leaned over and whispered, "Hey, thanks for trying."

"Eh?" _oh, smooth, Axel._

"You know…for standing up for me…even if you didn't pull it off." Roxas added wryly, smirking at Axel as he sat back and centered his attention on the board and the A-hole of a professor who was droning on and on about…err…something.

Axel positively beamed. Proudly, he threw his shoulders back and said, "Anything for you, buddy." _He praised me, he praised me!_ The redhead inwardly squealed.

Again, that reluctant smile found its way onto Roxas' face.

Maybe Axel wasn't as bad as the blond had originally thought him to be…maybe…

* * *

At the end of their lectures for the day, the group wandered back to the campus café as they did each day. It had become a habit fast. They'd go through their daily lectures, meet up at the park at the end of the afternoon and head over to the café together. Once there, they'd sit and chat amongst themselves and their new friend, Asmara the waitress. Who served them each and every day they came. 

Sure, the first week of school was coming to a close, and the first party of the semester was already planned and everybody was itching to get started. The café was amazingly empty for a Friday afternoon and the boys couldn't help but comment as Asmara pulled up a chair and sat down with them.

"Is it really so slow that you can sit down and chat with us?" Demyx asked Asmara as she sipped her chamomile tea.

The girl smiled, her pink curls bobbing as they always did as she nodded. "Yeah, sadly, it is that slow."

"But…aren't there only three waitresses including you?" Roxas asked her, amazed. It couldn't be _that _slow today…hell, it was _Friday_. The first Friday of the semester!

Asmara laughed and set her cup down, folding her hands in her lap. "Yes, there are, Roxas. And yes, it truly is _that slow_ today. Everyone is out. They're either getting ready for the big mixer or going clubbing.

Zexion sighed as Demyx bumped into him as he excitedly bounced in his chair. Axel just sat next to Roxas, flicking his lighter open and closed, staring intently out the window. Roxas just kept stirring his coffee around and around, staying mostly silent, and Sora was fidgeting in his chair, casting quick, nervous glances around the near empty café.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Asmara!" Demyx shouted. "We're gonna go to the beach today! You wanna come with us?"

Asmara smiled, showing her pretty, white teeth. "Sure, Demyx, that sounds like a great idea."

"YAY!" Demyx cheered, jumping to his feet, causing his chair to flip over and Zexion to fall out of his.

Axel snorted and, though he tried to stop it, began laughing at the stunned look on Zexion's face. He looked like he couldn't figure out why he was suddenly sitting on the floor.

Roxas smirked at the sight and relaxed a bit. He hadn't noticed how tense he'd been until that moment, and sighed. _Why can't I just be at ease?_ He could never just be calm and cool, even around people as easygoing as his roommates and brother.

_Then again, _Roxas reminded himself, _these guys are nucking futs…it's damn near impossible to relax when you know that at any moment, they'll do something destructive, aggravating, and strangely amusing._

Sora jumped and squealed at the sudden movements of Demyx and hid under the table, making Axel laugh harder. The redhead laid his head on the table and just kept snickering.

"Sora, what the hell?" Roxas shouted as his brother wrapped himself around Roxas' legs. "Stop touching me! It's disturbing to have you—SORA! GET OUT FROM UNDER THERE NOW!"

Sora crawled out from under the table and made a mad dash for the bathroom, looking like the Easter Bunny was after him. Long story…

Roxas snorted at the memory. That was one Easter Sunday he wouldn't ever forget…

"Zexy! I'm sooo sorry! Are you okay?" Demyx bent down and helped a still shocked Zexion to his feet. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"N-no Demyx, I'm fine." Zexion finally said. It was the first, and probably the last, time anyone had ever heard the short, quiet boy sound so shook up. For once, he wasn't speaking in monotone. Le gasp!

Asmara sat quietly through the entire episode, smiling softly and giggling at random moments. She was a rather open girl, and real friendly. The antics of the boys didn't seem to scare her, and she was quickly adopted into their group for her calm grace under fire.

"Well," she finally interjected, garnering all of their attention. "If we're going to go to the beach, let's make a day out of it. I'll pack us a picnic, you guys bring your swim suits, and we'll have a late lunch slash early dinner type of thing and go swimming!" her green eyes fairly twinkled as she, too, became excited about their upcoming trip.

"Wait…isn't the beach, like, ten miles from town?" Roxas broke in, looking around the table.

"Well…yeah," Demyx said, his face falling. He quickly brightened up as an idea occurred to him though. "We can just drive down there!"

"No…and here I thought we were just gonna walk…" Axel said sarcastically, getting smacked in the head by Roxas for his troubles.

"We could take my car." Asmara offered. "It's old and small, but I think we could all cram in there. It shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"Sounds good." Roxas stood as Sora came walking tentatively out of the bathroom. _While we're there, I'll have to figure out what's up with him…_ he decided. "Hey, Sora!"

Sora stopped abruptly and glanced around the café like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.

"Over here!" Roxas waved to get his twin's attention. "You idiot…" he added quietly to himself.

The brunet spotted him and smiled that wide, vacant smile of his. Sora bounded over to the table and paused next to Roxas.

"What's up?"

"We're going to the beach. We're going to head over to our room and get some things before meeting Asmara in the school parking lot." Sora turned and hugged Asmara, who hugged him back, laughing.

"Yay!" the brunet whirled around and grabbed Roxas' wrist, dragging him out of the café. "Let's go, Roxy, let's _go_."

"Hey!" Axel called, running after them. "How come _he_ gets to call you Roxy?!"

Zexion sighed, as was his habit, and took Demyx by the hand, still oblivious to the blush Demyx sported whenever they touched, even inadvertently.

"See you soon," Zexion said in parting as he led Demyx from the café.

"See ya!" Asmara called, standing. She had to clean up and clock out before closing. _That shouldn't take too long_, she thought wryly as she looked around the spotless, empty café. Or at least, spotless save for the table the boys had just left.

Humming softly, Asmara collected the dishes and took them to the kitchen. On the way, she passed by a darkened corner where one patron always sat alone. And today was no exception, she saw.

"Hey," she called over to the boy with silver hair. He looked up at her blankly. "I'm gonna close up early, so, you might wanna finish up and head home, or wherever." She smiled becomingly over at him, but the boy didn't respond in kind. He simply stood, tossed his money on the table and left without a word.

"Weirdo…" Asmara said to herself as she collected the money and continued on her way to the kitchen. She shook her head. "Don't say things like that about people, Asmara. Everyone has their reasons for being the way they are."

-------------------------

The silver-haired boy slipped out of the campus café and winced at the bright sunlight. Fishing around in his pockets, he found his sunglasses and slid them on. Not the best, but better. At least now he wasn't blind.

Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he slowly made his way down the empty sidewalk. He was disappointed at how little he'd seen of Sora lately. The brunet was jumpy and kept running off, making it hard to keep track of his movements. And he was always with those annoying friends of his. And that blond, whom he discovered to be Sora's twin brother, was the worst. He was so protective of the brunet, further complicating things.

He'd been following Sora for a while now, learning where he went and when. It had been a couple of days, but already he'd settled into a routine, which the boy followed to a T.

Simply being everywhere that Sora was eased the darkness that had settled on his heart these past months. He'd lost everything, but gained something in return. And he could hardly say that Sora wasn't worth it…at least, not yet. He just wished he could do more. Be more.

"So…they're going to the beach…" he said to himself as he wandered aimlessly. He may have lost track of Sora after the brunet had dragged his brother off somewhere, but he knew where they were going to be for the rest of the day.

"I'll just have to stop by and say hello," a small, plotting smile wormed free, and the boy chuckled. "Wonder what he'll have to say when we finally meet for real…"

* * *

NYA! So, there's my super duper, extra special chappie for y'all! i hopes you likes it. and yes, i'm sure that by now we all know who the Sora Stalker is, but i refuse to refer to him by name until he meets Sora...which will be in the next chapter or the one right after...because...erm...that's how i wrote it and i'm too lazy to rewrite it, so there! 

Ok, well, i hope this chapter was satisfying, if a bit of a cliffhanger...and, YAY! the gang's all going to the beach! wonder what strange and humorous things shall occur while they're there...oh, but wait...they have to actually _get_ there first...meheheheh...

Kanta: review and tell us what you liked and didn't like...suggestions and critisism always welcome.

Ramen: yes...listen to the wonderful muse! he's smart! he knows almost everything! (giggles and hugs Kanta) ah, you're my friend...

Kanta: you...are creepy...

Ramen: this i know (laughs maniacally)

Kanta: 'O.o...


	8. Bad Driving, Lazy Days, and Stalkers

Okay, so, this is the next chapter...i just have one thing to say...i disected a rat today in biology...yeah...not saying anything more than that...ahem, well, i hope you guys like it. I decided to skip around a bit, so some things may be choppy. Just let me know if you want me to go back and add any clarifications.

Discalimer: KH...not mine...hm...blah...

Kanta: just finish up and let them read!

Ramen: (covers head) aaah! don't yell at me!

* * *

The pale blue Honda Civic that had seen better days (if you have never been in one, you cannot imagine how small it is), squealed to a stop, spinning its wheels a bit as the driver spun it in a small circle in the asphalt parking lot set above the beach.

All four doors flew open once it'd stopped, the occupants trying desperately to flee, but were trapped by the five bodies stuffed into the limited interior space.

Sora popped free and fell to the ground, which he actually kissed. "LAND, OH SWEET, BEAUTIFUL LAND!"

"Oh, it wasn't that bad, quit whining." Axel mumbled as he managed to work his tall, thin body out of the cramped driver's side door. He tossed the keys into the air and caught them before taking a deep breath. "Ah, smell that ocean boys!"

"I would…if Demyx's ass wasn't still in my face!" Roxas screamed from inside the car.

Axel gasped and yanked at a flailing arm he could see. "QUIT MOLESTING MY ROXAS!"

Roxas rolled out of the car on the opposite side Axel was on, followed by Asmara, who was gasping for air while trying to hold onto the picnic basket. Zexion slid out, looking ready to pound somebody into the ground, his clothes and hair rumpled and messy.

"That…was the single most horrifying thing, I have ever done." He said sullenly.

Demyx was pulled out by Axel, and was promptly smacked by said redhead.

"Ouchie!" Demyx held his head and sniffled. "Why'd you hit me?"

"Because you had your ass in my Roxas' general area!" Axel shot back.

"General area," Roxas snorted as he brushed off his shirt. "Try my entire _head_. He was practically sitting on me." He paused to glare over at Axel. "And what do you mean, _your_ Roxas?"

"Uh…"

"I'm not your anything!"

"Easy, boys," Asmara tried to calm them, smiling. "At least we made it, right?"

"Yeah, no thanks to him!" Roxas pointed in unison with Sora at Axel, who rolled his eyes and pushed Demyx aside.

"Thanks _only_ to me!" Axel retorted. "No one else here was willing to drive."

"Willing to…Axel, you nearly threw Zexion into traffic for offering to drive when Asmara said she didn't want to." Roxas snapped back.

"And you can't drive worth a damn, anyway." Zexion added coolly. Demyx patted him on the back and pouted, putting in his two cents worth.

"Yeah, I've got two words for you, Axel…speed and limit."

Axel snorted. "At least I got you all here in one piece."

"Barely!" Roxas shouted, stalking up to Axel, his look murderous. "As it is, I'm scarred for life. And I don't even want to know what that old lady must feel like, if she isn't dead!"

"Hey! She shouldn't have been in the middle of the street!" Axel said in his defense.

"Axel…she was on the sidewalk."

"So?"

"So?" Roxas echoed in disbelief. "SO?! You almost hit her…and she was ON THE SIDEWALK!"

"What are you trying to say?" Axel put his hands on his hips as he stared right back at Roxas, who stood on tiptoe to glare the redhead right in the eye.

"I'm saying that you are a complete psycho who should never have been given a driver's license!"

"PLEASE!" Asmara screamed, making everybody quiet down. "Thank you…it's over. We're here…let's just try to get along and have some fun, okay?" she offered, looking around at each boy. "Come on, you guys. You're friends. Friends accept each other for their faults. Clearly, Axel's is he can't drive, but does anyway. Demyx's is being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which happens to everybody at one point in life. Zexion's is being the poor little guy who's always lost in the pile." She paused to giggle at the dirty look Zexion gave her.

"What about mine?" Sora asked, jumping up and down, looking excited.

_He's probably the only person alive who would actually want someone to point out his faults…_Roxas thought bitterly as he watched Sora bounce.

"You, my dear Sora, have the uncanny ability to find humor and joy in everything, and there are times when humor isn't warranted." Asmara supplied. Sora jumped in the air and whooped.

"Yeah! Did you guys hear that? I'm unwarranted!"

"Wonderful, Sora…" Roxas grumbled and Asmara grinned at him. _Oh, shit_.

"Don't think I've forgotten about you, Roxas…"

"Please, let's just go to the beach and forget about the horrible drive here." Roxas said desperately, looking like a cornered rabbit.

Asmara watched him fidget for a bit before blinking and smiling. "Okay." Roxas sighed in relief. "I'd say that your faults are pretty obvious anyways."

"Hey!"

_--------------------Later-------------------------_

The dimming sunlight glittered across the oceans surface, the waves gently lapping at the wet, sandy shore. The sky was brightly lit up in a cascade of oranges, reds, pinks, and even some purple. The group of five friends stared out over the horizon, lounging languidly on the large blanket Asmara had packed.

The day had been filled with laughter, teasing, and multiple games that all had included swimming. They were all still a bit damp, airing themselves dry as they lay there, still in their swimsuits.

"Today was awesome." Demyx sighed as he scooted a tad bit closer to Zexion, who didn't seem to mind.

"It sure was…" Asmara breezily agreed, staring off into the sunset, entranced. She glanced over at the others and saw that Zexion was lying on his back, holding an ever ready book in one hand while the other absently stroked Demyx's hair. Demyx was cuddled close to Zexion's side and looking like a content kitten. Asmara grinned. There was a lot of work to be down with these boys. Lucky for them, she was always up for a challenge.

She turned and looked to her other side to see Axel smiling softly down at Roxas, who had snuggled into the redhead's side and dozed off. Aw, how cute. Of course, if and when the blond woke up, he'd be his usual, angry, guarded self. But for now, it was nice to see him at ease.

Everybody was at ease. It was that time of day when everything slowed down, and you could just relax, kick back, and think.

---------------

Sora wandered back the way he'd come, the sand sifting between his toes. He sighed happily and crossed his arms behind his head, staring up at the colorful sky and listening to the soft sounds of the ocean. Today was easily the best day ever.

He started to hum a happy tune, which soon turned to whistling as he picked up a stick and started drawing little designs in the sand as he kept shuffling down the beach. Yeah, today had been fun. They'd had some lunch, then gone and played water polo for hours, laughing and breaking the rules just to keep things interesting. Then they'd paused for a snack (at Sora's insistence of course) and had a race down the beach, just for the pure fun of friendly competition. The group was becoming closer and closer with each minute, and it reminded Sora of something Kairi had once said:

"_You know how you see a stranger and you just know they're bad news? Well, the same goes for friends. Sometimes, you see somebody, and you just know you'll be friends for life."_

Sora sighed again, this time a little sadly. His song faltered and he threw the stick away. He may be having a great time with his new friends…but he still missed home. Still missed his old friends. The few times he'd tried to call Kairi had all been in vain, leaving Sora feeling sad and lonely, even among the guys and Asmara.

"Why so sad all of a sudden, Sora?" a voice asked from behind him.

Sora squeaked and whirled around, only to be caught off guard at the sight of a taller, older boy standing there. He was barefoot, wearing a pair of jeans and an open shirt, showing off his chest and abdomen. He had kind of long, silvery hair and eyes the color of the ocean under the noonday sun.

"W-who are you?" Sora asked shakily. "And…and how do you know my name?"

"I know quite a bit about you, Sora." He answered creepily.

Sora shuffled back a bit. "That's really creepy, ya know?"

The boy sighed. "Yes, I know. And I'm sorry."

"Wait a minute…you're the dude that's been following me, aren't you?" Sora demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at the boy.

"Yeah."

Sora gaped. "You stalker!"

"No…I didn't mean for it to be like that! You see I just…saw you one day in the café and I thought you were…nice." The boy explained. "I'd spent so much time in the dark, I'd forgotten what the light was like…then I saw you and I remembered."

"Okay…um…sir…you're really not making me any more comfortable here." Sora continued to back away, holding his hands up.

"Please don't be afraid of me. I didn't mean to scare you. I just…wanted to meet you. I just didn't know how to approach you." The boy looked away. "I didn't know what to say."

Sora stopped at that and stared, bewildered at the boy. "Didn't know what to say? Why didn't you just come over and say hi?"

"I didn't think it would be that easy…" the boy answered honestly, running a hand through his hair. "Again, I'm sorry. I just wanted to meet you."

"Well…you did." Sora laughed. "I mean, sorry, I'm Sora! Sora Hikari." He held out his hand to the stranger. (yeah, only Sora would get over the creepy stalker following him and be friendly with him…kid's gonna get raped on of these days, I swear…lol)

The boy stared at Sora's outstretched hand for several moments before tentatively reaching out and shaking it.

"I know…I'm Riku. Riku Tanaka."

"Nice to meetcha, Riku!" Sora chirped happily. He held fast to Riku's hand and tugged at him to get him to walk. "Let's go meet the rest of the gang!"

"Um…Sora, as nice as that sounds…I have to go." Riku pulled away. "Sorry." Truth was, he wasn't quite ready to meet Sora's friends. They wouldn't be as forgiving as Sora for stalking the kid.

"Oh…" Sora's face fell. "Will I see you at school? Do you go to my school?"

"I do…but I doubt I have any classes with you."

"What're you studying?"

"Business and economics."

"Yeah, we don't have any classes together." Sora bluntly concluded.

Riku chuckled softly. "Ah, Sora, you truly are a star."

Sora back away quickly. "Aaaaand we're back to being creepy."

"I apologize." Riku bowed slightly. "Until we meet again, Sora."

"Um…okay…WAIT!"

Riku paused and looked at Sora over his shoulder.

"Do you, uh, know the campus café?"

"I'm there every day…waiting for you." Riku admitted.

Sora gulped and stepped away again. "Yeah…um…" _don't be creeped out, don't be creeped out, don't be creeped out…_ "I guess I'll see you there then…why don't you sit with us next time?"

"We'll see…" and without another word, Riku turned and walked away, disappearing almost as quickly as he'd appeared.

"That…was weird." Sora decided as he stared at the spot where Riku had been standing. He shrugged and turned, jogging back towards where he'd left the group, forgetting about the oddness of the conversation and just happy that he'd made a new friend. Now he didn't have to be scared of the creepy guy who'd been following him every day!

* * *

Alrighty, there ya go. Riku introduced himself, Sora isn't bothered by the stalker anymore, and the gang's having a great time at the beach (along with some cuddlin' awww...)

I'll post the next chapter immediately after this one...ya see, it was originally supposed to be one chappie, but i had to break it up...was too long...meh

Kanta: your water is burning...

Ramen: WHAT?! AGAIN?! (runs to the kitchen)

Axel: (walks into the room) wow...she burned water?

Ramen: I didn't do it on purpose!

Axel: doesn't matter! (laughs) HIGH FIVE!

Kanta: both of you, in the corner (points)

Ramen & Axel: aww...(walk away)

Kanta: read and review, or you can wait until the next chapter and review this one too, don't care.


	9. Shadows at Sunset

OMG!!! I'm sorry, lol, i really DID burn the water i was trying to boil...don't ask (sighs) i'm a disaster in the kitchen...would you believe me if i told you i hadn't had ramen in over a month as was desperate and sloppy in my cooking which caused the broken law of physics? lol, that's the story on that. but, ONWARD! you did not come for that, you came for this (points at chapter) hehehe, yes, this is the second half, and i must warn you...this is where the angst comes in so...be prepared to feel bad!!!

Disclaimer: ...Kingdom Hearts...don't own...

Kanta: I TOLD YOU TO STAY IN THE CORNER!

Ramen: Axel left, so why do I have to stay?!

Kanta: wait...Axel left?! ugh...three...two...one (hears loud BOOM) great...

Axel: (runs in looking innocent) i didn't do it!

Ramen: why does it smell like something's burning?

Kanta: ...

* * *

"It's getting late, you guys, how about one more game?" Asmara said as she stood, waking Roxas. When the blond saw how he was cuddled close to Axel, he shot up and rolled away, feeling mortified.

_How could I have just…and why did it have to feel so good…so warm?_ Ugh…Roxas shook his head and stood. If he kept thinking things like that, he'd go insane. Axel wasn't his type. He was just going to keep telling himself that. He hadn't even been friends with him for a week.

Axel sighed at the loss of Roxas' sleepy snuggles and sat up too. "What kind of game?" he asked Asmara, who nudged Sora with her foot. The brunet had wandered back with a wide smile and had promptly fallen asleep.

Sora snorted and rolled over. He pushed to his feet and looked groggily around the group. Demyx was up and looking stunned to find himself practically in Zexion's lap. Zexion just shrugged and set his book aside.

Asmara smiled and turned towards the ocean. "How about a quick game of Marco Polo?"

Sora snapped awake at that. "YEAH!"

Axel tossed Roxas a grin. "You up for it, Roxas?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Why not? Perfect end to a perfect day, right?" he turned his face away as he said it.

Demyx jumped to his feet, pulling Zexion with him. "Yeah, great idea. Let's go!" he ran down to the water, dragging Zexion along too.

Asmara giggled and ran after them.

"Hey, wait for me, it was my idea in the first place!" she jumped up onto Demyx's back, knocking him and Zexion into the water. They all surface and laughed. Even Zexion seemed to be having a good time.

Demyx swam out into the shallows. "Let's play, let's play!"

Zexion turned and looked back to see Sora barreling into the water. The brunet and Demyx decided to have a race out to the end of the pier and back. Zexion just stared at the two figures still standing on the beach.

"Axel likes him a lot, huh?" Asmara whispered quietly.

Zexion nodded. "But he's going about expressing it all the wrong way."

"You told him to just be his friend, didn't you?" she quirked an eyebrow at Zexion, who just nodded again.

"Smooth…"

"Excuse me?"

"You shouldn't have said that…now that they're getting to be friends, Roxas is just going to use that as an excuse when Axel makes his big move." Asmara explained, shaking her head. "Silly, silly boy."

"I don't think I like you tone." Zexion threatened, crossing his arms and looking away from the pink-haired girl who scoffed.

"How can you give advice to your friend about his romantic interests, when you can't even handle your own?" Asmara leaned in, grinning slyly.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"Oh…nothing." She trailed off, looking pointedly at Demyx as he shot through the water towards them, Sora hot on his heels.

Zexion stared at Asmara strangely before she turned her back to him and shouted out for Axel and Roxas.

"Move it or lose it, boys! Let's play already!" she waved her arms to get their attention.

--------------------

Axel tossed a careless grin Roxas' way. "Waddaya say, Roxas? Ready for a wet romp in the water?"

Roxas scowled. "Why does everything that comes out of your mouth sound dirty?"

"I'm special like that." Axel said proudly as he grabbed Roxas and ran for the water.

---------------------

"Alright, now that the gang's all here," Asmara announced as Demyx and Sora surfaced, panting from their race. Roxas stood the closest to the shore, arms crossed and looking irritated that he had to be in the water. Asmara wanted to question him, seeing as throughout the day, he had refused to play in the water with them, instead choosing to stay on the beach and watch. But she knew Roxas wouldn't answer and just get pissy. Hey, at least he was actually in the water now.

"LET'S PLAY!" Sora and Demyx shouted together, splashing one another and giggling.

"Okay…let's see…Roxas," the blond turned to blink at the only girl in their group. "You're it."

"Why do _I _have to be it?" he snapped.

"Penalty start." Asmara instantly answered. At Roxas' blank stare, she elaborated. "You haven't played a single game in the water with us today, Roxas. So, by default, you have to be the first one it."

Roxas sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Fine…let's just play so we can go."

"SWEET!" Demyx cried, rolling in the water. "Okay, Roxas close your eyes and count to ten!"

"Yeah…whatever…" Roxas turned his back to the others and close his eyes as per instructions. "One…two…"

Everyone spread out, Demyx and Sora choosing to go into deeper water, while Zexion and Asmara wandered further down the shallows. Axel, risk taker and Roxas Stalker that he was, stayed close, a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Seven…eight…nine…ten." Roxas spun around, his arms held out in front of him as he wandered out into the water, eyes still held tightly shut. "Marco!"

"Polo!" everyone, save for Axel, shouted back, laughing.

Roxas turned to his right and wandered that way for several seconds before turning back. "Marco!"

"Polo!"

_Damn it, I hate this game._ Roxas thought as he tried to locate the others by just the sounds of their voices without venturing too far into the water. He didn't want to have to go any deeper than he already was. _Waist deep is fine, thank you very much_. Roxas swallowed hard, trying to fight back his rising anxiety.

"Marco!"

"Polo!" as everyone called back, Roxas dove forward, almost tagging Demyx, who squealed and dove away, laughing.

Encouraged by the close call, Roxas smiled and found that he was actually having fun for once. He was even gaining the courage to go further out.

Everyone bunched together, herded towards the pier by their pursuer, still calling back and forth. Axel, unnoticed by Roxas, snuck up behind the smaller blond as Roxas reached out, trying to find the others.

Axel held a finger to his lips, and everyone stared at him wide-eyed and questioning. What was the redhead planning?

"Marco?" Roxas asked uncertainly at the lack of sound. Even when they were trying to be quiet, there was always the sound of muffled giggling. Now, there was nothing. Had they left him?

"POLO!" Axel shouted as he pounced on an unsuspecting Roxas, dunking him underwater. "Ha ha, gotcha, Roxas!"

"AXEL, NO!" Sora screamed, swimming awkwardly towards them.

"Sora, what's your—'' Axel glanced down at the sound of Roxas' frantic splashing. Under the surface, Roxas was flailing to get free of Axel's hold, panicking.

Axel let go immediately and Roxas surfaced, gasping desperately for air and wiping water out of his face. Sora reached them, the others swimming closer in concern, and wrapped his arms around his brother.

"Rox, it's okay. He didn't mean it like that."

But Roxas wasn't listening. He tore free of Sora's hold and stumbled back to shore, running once he was on land. Axel started after him, only to be stopped by Sora.

"Leave him alone, Axel."

"What's wrong? What did I do?" Axel stared after Roxas, wanting to run after the boy badly. "Sora…why's he afraid of water?"

Sora sighed and shook his head. Asmara, Demyx and Zexion caught up to them and they all walked to the shore together. "You'll have to ask him about that. I promised I wouldn't tell. Ever."

Asmara covered her mouth with a hand, looking sad. "If I had known he was afraid of the water, and not just being stubborn, I would never have…" Sora patted her should comfortingly, giving her a small smile.

"It's okay, Asmara. You didn't know. None of you did." He shook water out of his hair and motioned the other to follow him back to their blanket. "Let's pack up. We should head back before it gets too dark."

Demyx nodded and rested his head on Zexion's shoulder. "I feel bad for him, Zex."

Zexion patted Demyx on the head, sharing a look with Asmara. "I do too, Dem. I do too."

"Fuck this, I'm not just going to leave him." Axel snapped, turning and running after Roxas, ignoring Sora's pleas to stop.

--------------------------

Roxas choked back a sob, rocking himself back and forth. Knees drawn tightly to his chest, he sat under the dock, trying to hold back the memories that had surfaced. He knew Axel hadn't meant any harm but…he buried his face in his arms.

He loathed water. He couldn't really recall in great detail why…but he just knew that it wasn't good. Every time he was in the water, Roxas felt himself hesitating, his chest getting tight. If he didn't hyperventilate, then he was tense and wary around those in the water with him. Just like today. Except…for once, he'd actually let his guard down a bit, finding the silly, child's game fun.

But then Axel had…held him underwater…and Roxas couldn't handle that.

"Roxas? You okay?" Axel asked as he knelt down beside him.

Roxas curled up tighter. "Leave me alone, Axel…please."

"No." Axel calmly denied, sitting down next to the trembling blond. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong. Why'd you freak like that? It was just a joke."

Turning his face away, Roxas ignored Axel's questions. His mind kept drawing up that same picture. That same face. So cold. So distant. So uncaring. Those blue eyes he saw everyday in the mirror hovering above him like ice. Those slim hands that should have cradled, should have comforted, holding him down. Waiting.

Waiting for him to drown.

"C'mon, Roxas. You can't keep it to yourself forever." Axel cajoled. "I can't even get Sora to tell me, and you and I both know he's the most gullible person alive. Except maybe for Demyx. But that's not the point."

"No, the point is, you need to drop it and leave." Roxas interrupted. He didn't sound mad, which only worried Axel more. No, Roxas sounded…tired. Worn out.

"Roxas, just tell me, please? Aren't we friends? You can tell me anything. I promise I won't tell another soul." Axel watched as Roxas slowly turned his head to face him, those beautiful blue eyes of his empty and dark. Chancing being slapped, Axel reached out and gently stroked Roxas' dripping blond hair. "Please, Roxas…you can trust me."

Roxas closed his eyes and sighed wearily. When he opened them again, Axel jumped back at the cold, hard look in them. In a clear, steady voice, Roxas confided.

"When I was three…my mother tried to drown me in the bathtub."

Axel could only stare at the blond in disbelief. "What?"

"You said I could tell you anything, Axel." Roxas countered coldly. His tone hard, yet still not angry. "Now you know why I freaked out. I don't like being held underwater…especially by someone who shouldn't hurt me."

"But I…Roxas, I didn't know. I wasn't trying to hurt you, it was just for fun." Axel defended, scooting away a bit as Roxas' voice became more and more frigid.

"Are you sure about that, Axel?" he didn't blink once as he unfolded himself and began to slowly crawl after the retreating Axel. "How can I be sure? I don't know you. You don't know me."

"Roxas…"

"Trust you? Trust _you_?" Roxas laughed darkly. He stopped, his face hovering just inches above Axel's. He leaned down and whispered in a chilly tone.

"Axel…I don't even trust my own _brother_…why would I _ever_ trust _you_?"

That said, Roxas stood and walked away, not once glancing back.

---------------------

Axel remained sitting in the sand, oblivious to the chill in the twilight air. He was too stunned to move, too stunned to speak. He hadn't…hadn't even guessed that…Axel wiped a hand over his face, trying to rub away the look on Roxas' face from his mind.

"Roxas…I'm sorry." He whispered, his words carried away in the sudden wind that blew across the beach.

"Axel!" Demyx called, waving from down the beach, "Let's go! Hurry up, or we'll leave ya!"

Axel stood and brushed as much sand as he could off of his damp body. Sighing, he trudged back down to the group. Ignoring their questions and Sora's sorrowful, knowing look, Axel grabbed his clothes and headed for the car. Silent.

* * *

Jeez...well...that's it, that's the chapter. A further look into Roxas' past and why he is the way he is. anyone else notice how Sora suddenly started acting all mature and taking charge? yeah...(sighs) i'm depressed now...

Axel: have a lighter!

Ramen: oooooo...(holds lighter reverently)

Kanta: GIVE ME THAT NOW! (chases Ramen)

Ramen: REVIEW PLZ!!! (runs screaming out the door) I'LL UPDATE SOON!


	10. Thoughts in the Night

GAH! I'm sooo sorry people. I promised that i'd post soon, but it's been FIVE DAYS!!! XP BOOO!!!! and to make things worse, these two chapters are SHORT! T-T the Ramen apologizes...but writer's block hit me hard, peeps, and for some reason i've been drawn into a different story. yeah, i know, FINISH ONE BEFORE YOU START ANOTHER, RAMEN!!!

ahem...anyways, here you are and i hope i can be forgiven.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts...just take my word for it.

Now...read the chapter that i have forced out of the depths of my being for you all, because my readers (that's you) are my life, never forget that!

* * *

The drive back home wasn't nearly as chaotic as on the way to the beach, the boys crammed in the backseat and staring into space, silent. Asmara couldn't stand to see the boys looking so sullen and down, so she tried to get their spirits up again by making one final suggestion.

"Hey, guys, it's only nine…and it's a Friday night…how about we go to my apartment and try to salvage the night? We could watch a movie, eat popcorn," she flicked a quick glance over to Roxas who sat in the passenger seat, leaning against the window and looking half dead. "And ice cream." She added. He looked like he needed it.

Demyx cleared his throat and spoke for everyone. "I like that plan. We could still have fun. Oh! And we could play other fun games…like Truth or Dare!" Asmara was sure he would've started clapping in joy if he hadn't been pinned on both sides by the other boys.

Sora shrugged, or tried to anyway. "Why not? I'm not tired yet."

Zexion grunted and tried to shift into a more comfortable position. "I'm just following you guys."

"Axel?" Asmara asked, staring at the silent redhead in her review mirror. When she got no response, negative or otherwise, she turned to Roxas. "How 'bout you, blondie?"

Roxas sighed and closed his eyes, not speaking.

"That counts as a yes, right?" Demyx asked Asmara, looking hopeful.

Asmara grinned at him. "Sure does." And she whipped an illegal U-turn in the middle of the street, heading in the opposite direction of the college. "We'll have a great night yet, boys. So hang on!" she called, even though she didn't go above the speed limit.

_I'll make Roxas smile and Axel speak and make an ass out of himself again if it's the last thing I do!_ Asmara vowed silently as the packed car ambled pitifully down the freeway.

_---------------Later-----------------_

_Okay…so maybe I was a bit too optimistic before_. Asmara concluded later that night. Despite Demyx's whining and insistence, they didn't play any more games. Instead, they all curled up with blankets and pillows and watched a procession of Disney movies. Hand picked by, you guessed it, Demyx.

_The Little Mermaid_ was playing quietly, most of the group asleep at this point. Zexion lay on his stomach on the floor, Demyx and Sora sleeping against him, which he didn't object to. Roxas had crawled into Asmara's recliner and stayed there, refusing to speak to even Sora. So, at Axel's request, Asmara had fetched a blanket and draped it over the shivering blond, who just stared at the wall and kept his back to the rest of them.

Axel sat on the end of the couch closest to Roxas, though the redhead no longer tried to speak to him. Axel was just as quiet and reserved as Roxas, staring at the boy who fell asleep not too long after the first movie had started oh…Asmara checked her watch, three hours ago.

Yawning, Asmara snuggled down into her own blanket on the other end of the couch and watched the movie through half open eyes. Today had started out great, but ended crappy. What had happened between Roxas and Axel the brief time they'd run off? What had they said to each other? What had frightened Roxas so badly that he feared being in the water? She sighed. It wasn't her business to know. Not unless Roxas decided to tell everyone.

Closing her eyes on Aerial swimming in a huff to see the sea witch Ursula, Asmara drifted off to sleep, not bothered in the slightest that she was alone in her apartment with virtual strangers. Some people, you could just trust, and that was that.

----------------------------

Axel rubbed his burning eyes, fighting back a tired yawn. He couldn't sleep despite being exhausted. Not with all the thoughts and questions that had been plaguing him. He couldn't stop thinking about what Roxas had told him about his mother. What she'd done. He couldn't shake the image of Roxas' stark, almost cold expression and chilly voice from his mind. It was so sad what the poor kid had been through, and Axel felt bad for just making it all worse. He couldn't do anything right, could he?

"I'm sorry, Roxas," Axel repeated in a whisper at the sleeping form huddled on the recliner. He lay not four feet away, but the boy couldn't have been further from Axel's reach.

It was…painful.

Roxas moaned in his sleep and rolled over, his features pinched. Was he having a bad dream? Probably. What with all the horrible memories he'd managed to suppress for years suddenly brought to the forefront today.

Sighing, Roxas settled down and once more his face was smooth and relaxed. Axel watched as he breathed slowly. In and out. In and out. In and out. The blanket draped over his slight body rising and falling with each breath. In and out. In and out. Up and down. Up and down. Inhale and exhale. The deep, even breathing of sleep. It was entrancing and Axel shook his head, blinking rapidly.

Amazingly, he wasn't quite so tired anymore. He didn't want to miss a second of watching Roxas. Even though he was asleep, and even if he hadn't been, he wouldn't be speaking. There was just something about watching him…something about seeing him…live…that held Axel transfixed. He looked so fragile lying there. So vulnerable in sleep.

How could his mother, someone who was supposed to care for and nurture him, try to kill him? And in such a horrible manner? If Roxas seemed this frail at, what, eighteen, then how must he have been when he was younger? When he was three?

Axel could just imagine a small Roxas, all eyes as blue as the sea, and bright blond hair sticking up around his face in messy spikes. Even now that he was older, Roxas still had that delicate build, those heart-shattering big eyes. How insubstantial must he have been as a child? Axel shook his head again. What a cold, bitch of a woman poor Roxas had been stuck with as a mother.

_Then again, I can't hate the woman completely…after all, if it weren't for her, Roxas wouldn't have existed._

As he kept watching, seeing the way Roxas breathed so gently, so silently, Axel thought about how precious life truly was. How easily it could be taken away. Especially from one so young.

_And in his eyes, I did the same thing his mother did…broke that fragile trust and hurt him_. Axel covered his face with his hands. It didn't matter that he hadn't meant it. It didn't matter that he hadn't known. All that mattered was that whatever trust that had begun to build between them was gone now. Possibly forever. _Damn it._

Roxas shuddered and pulled the blanket tighter around himself, catching Axel's attention again. The blond was still shivering. And pale. He was so pale…

"Roxas?" Axel stood and leaned over him, shaking a slim shoulder gently.

-----------------------

_Blue eyes that made him tremble stared coldly down at him, strong hands bit into his arms as he mother dragged him into the bathroom. Roxas cried silently, having learned quickly, even at the tender age of three, that he wasn't to cry in front of the parents. They would only tolerate that from Sora, and never for very long._

_He stood still as she tore off his clothes, tossing them aside and complaining about having to feed two more mouths when she hadn't even wanted to feed one. She turned on the faucet, filling the tub with hot water that steamed up the bathroom quickly._

_She picked him up and dropped him in the water. The scalding heat made Roxas scream in pain, but his mother just slapped him, quieting him down instantly._

"_Shut up. You know I can't stand it." She snapped bitterly, her eyes turning harsher. "I should have killed you when I'd had the chance."_

_Roxas sniffed back more tears as his skin burned and flared a bright, angry red. He sat in the tub, unmoving, as his mother scrubbed his arms and back brutally, until his skin broke open and began to bleed. Still, the blond boy remained silent, staring up at those frozen eyes that were the same color as his own. The same color as his twin's…_

"_I should have killed you when I'd had the chance." She repeated numbly, her expression turning to stone. She dropped the washcloth to the floor and placed her hands on Roxas' chest. As she slowly pushed him onto his back, one hand slid up to his neck, her fingers closing tightly around the delicate line of her child's throat. "But then I wouldn't have had Sora…"_

_Roxas' eyes went wide and he opened his mouth to cry out, just as his head was forced underwater. The water flooded his open mouth and Roxas choked, but there was no air to have. He rolled and twisted, but couldn't move out of his mother's grasp as she held him. He opened his eyes and stared up through the water at her face, the image imprinted on his memory for all time._

_Just as he could no longer fight, no longer hold what little breath he had, he could dimly hear Sora bawling and calling his name. His mother held him for several more seconds, staring coldly down at him, before finally releasing him and standing._

_Roxas sat up, choking and coughing. He wiped water out of his eyes and peered over the edge of the tub to see Sora stare at him with tear-filled eyes, his arms outstretched towards him as their mother carried the toddler out of the room._

-------------------------------

"Roxas?"

Roxas opened his eyes slowly as he heard someone call his name softly. The images from his nightmare still haunted him, just waiting for him to shut his eyes again. All he could see were two flashing green eyes, fiery red hair and pale skin…_Axel_.

"Hey, you okay, Roxas?" the redhead asked, kneeling down to be eye-level with him.

No…no he wasn't okay. He probably never would be. Instead of answering, Roxas just blinked at Axel blankly.

Axel sighed. "Fine, don't talk to me. I just wanted to ask." He turned and sat back on the empty couch. The room was completely dark, the T.V. having been shut off at some point. Everyone else was asleep, sprawled on the floor. But where…

"If you're wondering where Asmara is, she went to sleep in her own room." Axel offered quietly.

Roxas blinked over at him. He suddenly felt painfully alone sitting in the chair on the opposite end of the room. The distance between him and the others growing wider as he stared.

Making a small, frightened sound, Roxas sprang out of the chair and jumped onto the couch. Axel stared at him, looking amused.

"What's the matter? Afraid of the dark?" Axel teased.

Roxas shook his head and crawled instinctively closer to the heat the redhead seemed to radiate. He scooted closer still, practically climbing into Axel's lap, much to his surprise. Roxas cuddled into Axel's side, whispering:

"No…I'm afraid of being alone."

Axel didn't know what to do, so he just rested an arm around Roxas' shoulder comfortingly. "Well…it's a good thing you aren't alone then, isn't it?"

The blond sighed sadly. "But that's just it…I am alone. I always have been." He pulled away to stare up into Axel's eyes. "And I always will be." Roxas rolled away and returned to the chair, pulling the blanket up to his chin. "Goodnight, Axel."

Axel swallowed around the lump of sympathy forming in his throat.

"Goodnight…Roxas."

* * *

Bleh...see, it's soo short (cries) this one and the next chapter were supposed to be one single chapter, but i just couldn't get them to transition smoothly, so i just broke 'em up. i hope you all don't mind!

I hope it's not too much to ask for you all to review...i still loves you all! and i'll give you cookies!

------Ramen


	11. The Morning After

Okay, so, the last chapter was angsty, i realize that...but i couldn't just let the angst go...it was too intense of a situation to do that. ahem, anyways, this chapter is where all the humor comes back and things start to lighten up. WOOT!

Disclaimer: uuuuhhhhnnnnn...(drools)

Kanta: (sighs and pokes Ramen with a stick) she doesn't own KH or it's characters...read and enjoy.

* * *

A sharp, piercing scream shattered the silence in the crowded apartment. Outside, a car alarm went off and several dogs began howling in protest or reply. Demyx rolled away from the sound, covering his ears and huddling in a ball, his shouts joining with the shriek. Zexion sat up, wincing at the ear-shattering cry. Asmara came stumbling from the hallway, her hair dripping wet, the color dulled from bright pink to a deeper magenta from the water, her body wrapped in a small, tattered looking towel that matched the color of her eyes.

"What's—''

"OHMYGOD!! ROXAS IS DEAD!!" Sora screamed, mercifully ceasing in his cries to begin hyperventilating as he knelt next to his "dead" brother.

Axel sat up and glared at everyone. "What the hell are you guys doing?"

"ROXAS! WAKE UP!"

"SORA!" Axel, Demyx and Zexion shouted back.

Asmara came up behind the brunet and rubbed his back soothingly. "Sora…sweetie, Roxas isn't dead. See? He's breathing." She pointed out, watching as Roxas, indeed, breathed.

"But…but he won't wake up!" Sora shook his twin rather violently, ignoring Asmara's restraining words. "ROXAS!?"

"He isn't dead, Sora." Asmara said again, hoping the words would get through somehow.

Zexion shook his head as Demyx stood and twisted a finger in his ear.

"Yeah…" Demyx said, "But if that scream didn't wake him up, he's at least in a coma."

"AH, NO!" Asmara patted Sora's head, glaring up at Demyx.

Axel joined the gathering group that huddled around the unmoving Roxas. Save for his breathing, he did seem dead. Except corpses weren't beet red.

Sora yanked the blanket off of Roxas. "He doesn't like being cold…if he doesn't have a blanket, he'll wake up." He said with conviction, waiting anxiously as he held the blanket in one hand and chewed his knuckles on the other.

Everyone stared at the boy curled uncomfortably in the recliner, aghast and sympathetic.

"Ouch," Demyx said, cringing, and Zexion nodded in agreement.

Asmara winced at the sight and backed away, taking Sora with her.

Axel shook his head. "That's painful just to look at. I can only imagine how it feels."

Roxas' usually creamy skin was burned the color of blood and cracked. His entire body was rubbed raw from the sea salt they'd all been too lazy to wash off the night before. Everyone was sun-burned to some extent, save for Asmara and Sora, bastards that they were. They're skin had just bronzed slightly. Since Asmara had already showered, her skin glowed healthily, and no doubt Sora would look the same once he'd washed. Demyx's nose and forehead were red and his hair colored dingy brown. Zexion's hair had darkened as well and become stringy from the salt water. It hung in his face, hiding any sun-burns he might possibly, and probably did, have.

Axel, amazingly, was the only one who wasn't burned or tanned, although his hair had seen better days. How had the redhead escaped unscathed? Weren't redheads supposed to be more susceptible to sunburns than others? Nonetheless, his ivory skin was unblemished and pale as always. Lucky guy…

"Poor Roxas…" Sora said sadly. "He's gonna be maaaaad when he wakes up."

"Oh? I thought you said he was dead?" Axel raised an eyebrow at the brunet.

Sora pouted. "So what if I did? I know he isn't now."

Demyx smacked Sora on the back and laughed. "Good thing too, otherwise we'd have to…um…" Demyx scratched his head. "I forgot what I was gonna say…"

Sora smiled, giggling. "That's okay, I wasn't listening!"

"What time is it?" Zexion asked Asmara, who didn't seem the least bit self-conscious standing in a room full of guys in nothing but a towel that hardly covered her.

"Um…" Asmara disappeared around the corner and returned a moment later, fishing around in the pocket of her jeans. "Here we are," she pulled out her watch and flipped it around to check the face. "It's a quarter to eleven now." She set the watch down on the table and crossed her arms, looking relaxed. Suddenly, her eyes went wide and she snatched it back up. "Ohmygod! It's a quarter to eleven?!" she ran from the room, leaving the four conscious boys to stare at each other, dumbstruck.

"What's so special about what time it is?" Sora asked, pouting as he thought. The kid had a pout to go with every expression.

Demyx shrugged and turned to Zexion, who did the same. Axel just turned his attention back to Roxas, who still lay on the chair. But his eyes were wide open and staring straight back at the redhead.

"AH!" Axel jumped up onto the couch, raising his arms in defense.

Demyx and Sora, startled, grabbed onto Zexion who sighed and glared up at Axel.

"What now?" he asked.

"HE'S AWAKE!" Sora cheered as he saw Roxas.

"Of course I am, I have been ever since you screamed." Roxas laughed softly and sat up with a painful moan. His laughter turned quickly to a harsh cough that had Sora rushing over to his side. Axel relaxed and patted his chest.

"Jesus, don't scare me like that,"

Roxas gave the redhead an unreadable look, opening his mouth to say something. Axel waited in anticipation to hear Roxas speak, but he never got the chance as Asmara ran into the room at that moment, looking harried and worried. She was wearing a black blouse and matching slacks, several pins sticking out of her mouth as she twisted her pink hair up into that messy bun she always wore.

"What's the rush?" Demyx wondered.

"I have to be to work in ten minutes you guys!" Asmara said around the pins in her mouth. She pulled one out and slipped it into her hair, repeating the process over and over until all were holding the unruly curls up. "We gotta go!"

The boys groaned and shuffled after Asmara as she snatched her keys off the counter and jogged for the door. "Hurry up!" she called.

"We're coming, we're coming!" Sora called back, trying to help Roxas walk without touching his brother too much. Roxas' skin was so sensitive that just the air was making him hiss in pain, but the blond kept walking stiffly after the others.

----------------------------

In the car, everybody kept their mouths shut, as Asmara was wild eyed and driving at least, if not more than, twenty miles over the speed limit and weaving in and out of the sparse traffic on the road.

"I'm gonna be late, I'm gonna be late, I'm gonna be late!" she kept chanting frantically. "Can you imagine me being late?!" she gasped in horror. "What if I get fired?!"

"I'm sure you won't be fired for being five minutes late on a Saturday," Zexion assured from the cramped backseat.

"Easy for you to say, your school career isn't riding on your job!" she snapped back.

"No…it's riding on my grades and performance." Zexion replied, sighing in defeat as he gave up trying to shift into a more comfortable position.

Asmara gaped at him in the rearview mirror. "You're on a scholarship?" she blinked.

Zexion nodded and Demyx laughed and raised his hand. "Guilty!"

"What about the rest of you?"

Axel hissed as his head slammed into the roof of the car as they sped over a pothole. "Yeah…me too."

"Twins say what?" Asmara turned her head from the road to regard Sora who was squished in the back.

Roxas groaned quietly as he turned his head, his skin tight and dry from the sun and salt. "Paid tuition, room and board."

Everybody in the car gaped at the twins. "WHAT?!"

"Do you know how expensive our school is?" Asmara squeaked, jerking back to face the road, just in time to weave around a car stopped at a red light. The passengers winced at the sound of cars squealing their tires as they tried to brake and swerve away, honking in anger as Asmara shot through the intersection out of turn. "How did you guys get the money?"

"Parents…" Roxas mumbled, turning away to stare out the window. Sora just nodded and stared at the back of his brother's head.

"Wow, you guys must be pretty well off then." Demyx said excitedly. Zexion grabbed his arm and shook his head, making Demyx frown in confusion. Axel kept his eyes on Roxas' expression as it switched from angry to sad to blank.

"Yeah…" Sora sighed before he too turned his face away to gaze out at the passing scenery.

Everyone fell silent again, and Demyx wiggled uncomfortably.

"What? Was it something I said?"

His questions went unanswered as the school finally came into view.

* * *

Sorry for the return of the angst at the end, i promise the next chapter will go back to the fun stuff...and that it'll be posted faster than these two...and i aim to keep that promise!

Kanta: please review.

Ramen: oh, and you can send in suggestions for what they boys will do and talk about once they get back to their dorm. it's a Saturday afternoon and i'd just planned for them to just laze around and nurse their tortured skin...but if you've got dialogue and activities you'd like to see, give me a shout, mkay? 8D


	12. When Boredom Takes Its Toll

WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

**Kanta:** calm the hell down, Ramen...jeez (rolls eyes)

I'm so sorry people! I would've updated sooner...and I know I'm overreacting just a little

**Kanta:** (snorts) a little?

**Ramen:** NOBODY ASKED YOU!!!

ahem...anyways, here's the next chapter...unfortunately, it isn't any good because I've got a cronic case of writer's block and didn't know what to write. There's humor and a tiny, miniscule amount of character development...but it isn't anything special. I NEED A BRAIN!!!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own KH or it's characters...however, I kind of wish I did...not only could I use all that money...but if I'd been part of creating KH, then I'd have a decent imagination and drive to write a decent chapter for you all!!! T-T

**Demyx**: (hides behind Kanta) she scares me...

**Ramen**: REPENT! REPENT! THE END IS NIGH! THE END IS NIGH!!!!! (runs in circles screaming hysterically)

**Kanta**: (steps back warily) she scares us all... (watches as Ramen falls and starts flailing) o.O' uhhhm...read and enjoy...

* * *

"I'm bored." Demyx whined as he lay on his bunk, staring at the ceiling. Zexion snorted and turned the page in his book. "Well, I am!"

Zexion sighed but didn't look up when he said, "I can tell, Demyx…question is, what do you want us to do about it?"

Demyx blinked and leaned over the edge of the top bunk to stare down at Zexion who glared back. "Um…I don't know?"

Sora threw a balled up sock at Demyx from his own top bunk across the room, hitting him in the back of the head. "Let's play catch, Demyx!"

"Okay!" Demyx picked up the sock and threw it back. Sora jumped to the side to catch it, only just managing to snag the sock out of the air. Demyx giggled happily. "Yay, this is fun."

Zexion returned to his book, inwardly smiling at Demyx and Sora's enthusiasm for such a silly game. As long as it kept them busy and somewhat quiet, however, he could hardly complain. _Although, it's really hard to relax and read with all that tension…_he thought as he glanced over to where Axel and Roxas were just sitting on their beds and staring at each other. It was unnerving how neither blinked nor spoke. They just…kept…staring…

Finally, Roxas squeezed his eyes shut and cursed. Axel tossed his hands in the air and whooped.

"OH YEAH! IN YOUR FACE, ROXAS!"

"Shut up…" Roxas groaned as he tried to rub his closed eyes, only to irritate his badly burned skin. "It was a dumb idea in the first place."

"I still won," Axel grinned. "That means I get to—''

"I know what it means, Axel, so shut the hell up." Roxas snapped back and flopped onto his bed, hissing in pain. "God damn it…" the blond started digging around his blankets, looking for something and grumbling when he couldn't find it.

Axel's grin turned evil as he held up a clear bottle, shaking it tauntingly in the air. "Oh, Roxas," he called, earning him a glare from the blond before relief spread across his face.

When Roxas reached for the bottle, however, Axel jerked it away and laughed.

"Damn it, Axel, give me the aloe or I swear to god I'll tear your fucking arm off to get it." Roxas growled, lunging for the bottle when the redhead was stunned still by the pure malice in the blonde's tone.

"HA!" Roxas smiled as he sat back in his bed and began to spread the cool gel over his burns. He moaned as the burning tingle stopped for a moment.

-------------------

Axel's face flushed and he turned away. It was actually rather embarrassing to him how he found the way Roxas spread the aloe all over his half naked body erotic. He was definitely a sick son of a bitch…but it was so hot the way the blond had his head thrown back, sighing sweetly in satisfaction.

_Oh, what I wouldn't give to see and hear that while doing something entirely different…_

"Axel? Axel!" the redhead blinked and ducked just in time to dodge a flying bottle aimed straight at his head.

"The hell, Roxas?"

"I asked you a question!"

---------------------

"No you didn't," Sora broke in, taking aim and launching the sock at Demyx, who squealed and dodged, giggling. They'd turned their simple game of catch into a twisted version of dodgeball.

The name of the game? Dodgesock!

Roxas rolled to his back and kicked at the bottom of his brother's bunk with both feet, making the brunet squeak and fall over, causing Demyx to miss his well calculated shot.

"Dang!"

----------------------

Axel picked up the bottle and stood, dropping it on Roxas' lap as he walked past. The blond stared suspiciously up at the redhead. What was he up to?

"Axel!" Demyx shouted from his bunk as if he were further away. "Wanna play Dodgesock with me and Sora?" the said sock bopped Demyx in the side of the head, and Demyx fell over, pretending to choke and die. "I'm hit! I'm hit!"

Sora laughed at the display while Roxas lay back and closed his eyes. Zexion punched the bed above him, making Demyx lose character and start giggling. Axel shook his head and grabbed the door knob. "Maybe some other time, Demyx."

"Where are you going, then?" Zexion asked, finally setting his book aside. It wasn't like he was going to get any reading done with all the noise anyway.

"I'm just gonna go out for a bit. You know, take a walk, have some private time…" Axel answered vaguely, opening the door. "Maybe stop by the cafeteria and get something to eat, hell, I don't know. But I have to get out of this room."

"What about—''

"I'll get you later, Roxas."

--------------------

Roxas sat up and pouted angrily, crossing his arms with a wince as it pulled the tight skin on his back. "That wasn't the deal."

"Why are you holding me to it when you didn't want to agree in the first place?"

"Because you made me agree, so now I want to get this over with."

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Demyx broke in, looking thoroughly confused and a bit worried.

Roxas sighed. "Axel challenged me to a staring contest. If I won, he promised that he'd never bother me again unless I wanted to be bothered. If he won, which he did, then I was supposed to answer a question." Roxas turned back to Axel expectantly. "So, what's your question?"

"Part of why I'm going out. I need to think carefully, seeing as you tricked me into only getting _one_ question." Axel opened the door and made to leave when he was stopped by Sora's mournful cry.

"AXEL!" the brunet slumped over the edge of his bed, stretching his arms out weakly. "If you could find it in your heart to bring a starving man something to eat…just a tiny morsel, he would be eternally grateful and agree to be your slave for forever and all eternity."

Roxas looked incredulously up at his brother. He'd had no idea Sora had that broad of a vocabulary, let alone knew what half the words he'd just said meant.

Demyx's eyes widened as he caught on and leaned down towards Axel, begging in his own special way.

"Axel, bring me back something to eat, you ass."

Zexion choked back a laugh at the looks everybody gave Demyx.

--------------------

Axel sighed. "Fine…I'll bring you guys back something. You want anything, Zex?"

"No, and if I did, I would go and get if myself, instead of waiting around for someone, namely you, to do it for me. I've got more pride than to beg."

"O-kay…a simple 'no' would have sufficed…how 'bout you Roxas? You hungry?" the blond looked up in thought for a moment before nodding once. "Well…any preference?"

Roxas frowned in concentration. "Um…not really. Just get me whatever they're serving for lunch, I guess." He dug around in his bag, looking for his wallet. When he found it, Roxas pulled out a ten dollar bill and held it out to Axel, who shook his head.

"Nope. My treat." Axel said, smiling. "Keep your money."

Roxas snorted, putting the money away. "Fine."

Axel turned to leave again, but Sora, again, stopped him.

"AXEL!" he whined. "You didn't ask what _I_ wanted!"

"That's because I don't care, Sora." Axel answered simply, winking at Roxas before walking out the door.

-----------------------

The blond rolled his eyes and sat back. They'd been sitting in their dorm room after Asmara dropped them off for three hours now, and so far, nobody was dead. Roxas hadn't once felt the urge to tear Axel into itty bitty, bite-sized pyro pieces, which he took as a good sign. Axel wasn't being as big an ass and Roxas was finally relaxing a bit.

Still…he wasn't quite ready to let his guard down again for a while. He knew Axel had only meant to be funny when he'd dunked Roxas yesterday, and Roxas had thought all morning and decided to forgive the redhead for acting before thinking.

_It's his nature anyway,_ Roxas told himself. _And the funny thing is…I think I'm starting to like it…_

"Roxas…" Sora asked quietly, hanging upside down.

"What, Sora?" Roxas sighed as his thoughts were interrupted.

"Uh…could you hand me the sock?" Sora pointed at the object lying on the floor by Roxas' feet. "I dropped it."

-----------------------

Roxas tossed the sock back up to his twin who snatched it up and threw it hard at Demyx.

"Ow! Hey! That doesn't count!" Demyx shouted, rubbing the side of his face as Sora jotted down his points for the hit on a piece of paper. They'd begun to keep track of who had more points. Winner got…err, something. They hadn't figured that part out yet.

"Yeah it does! You just weren't paying attention." Sora shot back, bracing himself for a hit.

"That's it. Zexion you be the ref!" Demyx growled, clenching the sock in his fist. "I can't trust Sora with the scorekeeping anymore, so Roxas, you keep track of that!" Zexion shook his head and shifted into a comfortable position where he could clearly watch the game and Roxas shrugged and took the paper and pencil from Sora.

"It's just mono a mono now!" Sora said, a wicked glint in his blue eyes.

Demyx raised the hand that held the sock. "You're going down, Hikari."

"Not before you, Utada!"

"How did this become a match to the death?" Roxas asked.

"I don't know...but I'd say things are about to get very, very entertaining." Zexion predicted, a small, almost cruel, smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Let the game begin."

* * *

**Kanta:** (coughs) okay...so, we apologize for the breakdown in the beginning of the chapter...Ramen's brain integrity has been slowly deteriorating over the past week...seems she finally snapped...but sometimes that can be a good thing! she gets real creative when she's having psycho episodes. Until she recovers, however, we are afraid to inform you, dear readers, that Ramen will be bound and gagged. 

**Ramen**: (bounces in the chair she's tied down in and screams through the duct tape over her mouth)

**Demyx**: is it legal to do this? (points at Ramen)

**Roxas**: who cares? i like it! (laughs)

**Kanta**: (sighs) well...please review people. you can help the Ramen by sending in suggestions for what you'd like to see happen next. Do you want a chapter of Axel walking around and reminicing? A chapter of the Dodgesock fight? Something else? Please let us know. you can save the authoress by simply clicking that review button and speaking your mind.


	13. And Then He Smiled At Me

ZOMG! O.o, lol. Long chapter!

Hi peeps...sorry about the little breakdown I had last chapter, heh...but i'm better now, i swear!!! ...kind of...anyways, Kanta didn't believe me, so i managed to distract him by telling him to convince Demyx that Pi is a number and not a dessert food, XD. so far, Demyx isn't convinced. and without Kanta around, i just got loose (again) and typed up this chapter because i couldn't sleep! twas strange how it just came out...LIKE WORD VOMIT!

Kanta was right about one thing...when having a psychotic breakdown, i get really creative, hahaha

**Disclaimer: ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

ahem...without further ado, read and enjoy the WORD VOMIT!!!_

* * *

_

I feel like I'm burning on the inside. 

_Slowly smoldering,_

_My desires ignited by such an unwitting source of fire_

…_an unwilling match struck and lit,_

_Touched to my heart, setting it ablaze._

--------

Axel sighed and set his pencil aside. He'd wandered around the campus aimlessly, much like the first day he'd come back…only this time, Roxas wasn't with him, and the world seemed so dull, so…empty without the moody blond near. Finding himself thinking unnecessarily, Axel had sat in the park and began writing.

Because that's what he did when his feelings and thoughts overwhelmed him…he wrote about it.

And right now, Roxas was his muse.

The redhead groaned and buried his face in his hands. He was a fool, thinking that he could possibly win someone like Roxas. The blond was too complicated, too guarded. He never let anyone too close, and that was all Axel would accept. Getting close.

Still, that urge, that undeniable, useless hope was seared deep into his heart.

Axel scoffed at his own thoughts. "Zexion had the right idea…just being Roxas' friend seems to be the only thing I _can_ do." But being so near, yet so far away would be like slow, painful torture. He couldn't stand to have that distance friendship created between two people. These building feelings would only cause trouble…

Especially if those feelings were entirely one-sided.

"Well…I've dug my own grave…" Axel said to himself in a dry tone. "All I have to do now is lie down in it."

He stood, closing his notebook smartly. What was he doing sitting here and thinking? He wasn't a thinker; he was a man who acted. Sure, it usually got him into more trouble than anyone cared to deal with, but it was always worth it in the end.

"So, instead of sitting here and _thinking_ about what I want to do and what is best," Axel continued with talking to himself, earning him strange stares from other students he passed on his way to the cafeteria. "I'll just _do_ it."

Axel laughed as he walked into the cafeteria. He stared hard and long at the menu for the day. It was easy enough to pick something for Sora, seeing as the brunet ate everything and anything you put in front of him on a plate. Demyx was even easier, since he was even worse than Sora. The musician may not eat as often as Sora, but he had the same bad habit of eating whatever you handed to him with a fork.

Roxas, however, was an entirely different matter.

"I don't know what to get him." Axel whispered. Sure, Roxas had said that he didn't care, to just get whatever they were serving…but Axel couldn't just give the boy he intended to make his new boyfriend something mundane. It had to be something thoughtful, something that said: "I care about you, please sleep with me".

"Gah, I'm thinking again." Axel grabbed his hair and tugged in frustration. "Thinking bad, action good."

After another five minutes of blankly staring at the menu and repeating that mantra in his head, Axel gave up.

"Fuck it, I'll just get him my favorite." What? It was always a great way to see if you had something in common with someone. Just take them somewhere you like, or get them something you enjoy, and see if they like it too. After all, 'the soul is in the eyes' wasn't only a famous line. It was the truth.

And so, Axel found himself walking out of the cafeteria with three take out boxes and a skip in his step. Stereotypical emo, he was not. True emo? Maybe a little…

-------------------------------

"HAHAHAHAHA, THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE WHEN I GOT YOU WAS PRICELESS!!"

"HEY! SHUT UP!"

"HE'S RIGHT!"

"AAAHHHH!"

"TAKE THAT!"

"NO, YOU TAKE THAT!"

"ACK! SORA, HELP!"

"NEVER! YOU ARE MY ENEMY!"

"FINE! IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO BE….HAH!!"

"GACK!"

"MUHAHAHAHAHA!"

"HEY, BACK OFF, THIS ONE'S MINE!"

"I SAW IT FIRST!"

"LIAR!"

"OH YEAH? CAN A LIAR DO THIS?!"

"STOP IT! THAT TICKLES!"

"DUDE!! YOU'RE TOTALLY EATING SOCK FOR THAT!!"

The small group of fellow dorm building dwellers that had gathered outside the new students' bedroom door shared looks of confusion and amusement. What the hell was going on behind that door?

Despite their curiosity, nobody seemed to have the guts to open it and find out…

--------------------------

Riku lay on his bed, eyes closed, and headphones covering his ears. But despite the loud music blasting into his head, he couldn't drown out the image of Sora that kept popping up into his head. All he ever saw were blue eyes, chocolate brown spikes, that round face and that sunny smile. The innocence that surrounded the boy like a glow.

Sighing in defeat, Riku tore his headphones off and growled as he tossed them aside. He sat in his room, staring at the walls and seeing nothing but Sora.

His desk in the corner.

_Sora…_

His closet next to his bed.

_Sora…_

The dirty clothes on his floor.

_Sora…_

The window on the opposite wall with its gauzy curtains stirred by the afternoon breeze.

_Sora…Sora…Sora…SORA!!!_

"I can't take it anymore!" Riku stood and stomped out of his room. "I have to see Sora again, even if it kills me."

-------------------------

"OI!"

Everybody jumped and spun around. Axel glared at them all over the takeout boxes stacked in his hands. His green eyes were hard and cold, that all too familiar sneering grin sitting lopsidedly on his face.

The juniors and seniors well remembered that look from last year and immediately stepped aside, walking carefully and slowly around the redhead before darting away. The others who hadn't made his oh so wonderful acquaintance, stayed. One even pointed at the door over his shoulder and asked a really, REALLY, stupid question.

"Are your friends retarded or something?"

Axel handed the boxes over to a random person standing close to him. "Hold these."

"Uhm…okay…"

The redhead came up to the idiot who dared question his friends' intelligence. By insulting them, he insulted Axel. And Axel never, _never_, took an insult lying down. Oh no, not Axel. He always had a response.

He fisted his hand and feinted a punch that had the other guy cringing. Axel's sinister grin widened. "Heh, two for flinching, asshole."

"Wha?"

Axel delivered a double punch with each fist, one connecting with the guy's stomach, making him double over, the other slamming up into his jaw. (he's sooo getting in trouble for that...)

"I'll take those back now." Axel held his hands out for the boxes. The student gulped audibly and handed the boxes back carefully.

"They weren't kidding about you…"

Axel raised an eyebrow. "Not that I really care who 'they' are. But 'they' usually are, kid."

The redhead nudged the unconscious guy on the floor aside with his foot before opening the door to their bedroom, only to get beaned by a flying sock.

"AH! What the hell?" Axel's eyes went wide in shock, his mouth falling open as he saw what his friends were doing.

Demyx was practically scaling the walls as Zexion and Sora pelted him with balled up socks, all three of them were laughing so hard, they could barely keep their eyes open, which resulted in random bumping into various things ranging from beds to bags to the wall.

"What in the Texas hellfire are you guys doing?!"

Demyx ran and hid behind Axel, causing Zexion to stop abruptly, which caused Sora to run into Zexion. Eyes wide and innocent, they hid the socks they held behind their backs and stared up at Axel, their straight faces forced and red from restrained laughter.

Suddenly, a sock from out of nowhere flew and smacked Axel in the face.

Sora, Zexion and Demyx, who shot out from behind Axel to throw his own arsenal of socks at the two as he ran for cover, all laughed and resumed their crazy ass game, whatever it was…but who…?

"Gotcha, huh?"

Axel looked up and saw blond hair flash as Roxas ducked behind a small pillow barrier he'd made on Sora's top bunk. Axel set the boxes of food on the desk in the corner of the room and just watched as they all kept throwing socks and laughing like it was the greatest, most fun thing in the world to do. Jumping and ducking, dodging and throwing, it was like some kind of fucked up Dodgeball...but highly entertaining to watch.

Sora paused as he ran past the desk. He froze completely, eyes wide and sniffed.

"Is that food?" he pointed at the boxes.

Axel turned and regarded the objects sitting on the desk. "These? Oh no, these aren't food, just some great smelling boxes I found on my romp in the wilderness."

Sora's face fell. "Aww…"

"He's being sarcastic, Sora." Demyx laughed, smacking Sora on the back as he came up and took the top box. "This one mine?" Axel took it from him and peeked inside.

"Yep, I got you and Sora the same thing, so it doesn't matter who takes that one."

"Sweet! I'm starving!"

Sora pouted. "What about me?"

Axel looked inside the next box on the stack and handed it to the brunet, who perked up instantly and snatched the box.

"WHOOO!" Sora skipped over to Demyx, who sat next to a panting, but smiling, Zexion and dug into the turkey sub. "Mmmm…" Sora moaned. "Foooooooood."

"Don't be swayed by it's mighty smell and taste, Sora." Demyx cautioned. "It'll turn you into a zombie and then you won't eat it."

Sora gaped. "What?! That's not possible! What bull!"

"It's true." Zexion said seriously, his tone dark and somber.

That made Sora shut his mouth. He believed everything Zexion said when he said it that way. Who wouldn't? It was so creepy, it had to be telling the truth…and if it wasn't, those that heard it would be too afraid to call it a liar.

------------------------------

Axel picked up the last box and crossed the room to his bed, only to be pelted with another sock as he went past Roxas.

"Damn it, Roxas!" Axel growled half-heartedly.

Roxas' head popped up and he stuck his tongue out at Axel, making the redhead's thoughts turn rather lecherous.

"Careful where you stick that thing, Roxas…you never know what someone will do to it." He purposefully reached up as if to grab Roxas' tongue. Roxas immediately sucked it back in, looking appalled, before he started laughing. Real laughter, not that forced, fake chuckle he always sported.

Axel handed the box up to Roxas, who took it. The blond opened it and smiled, sighing that sweet, satisfied sigh again.

"Grilled cheese and tomato soup…my favorite…"

Axel felt his heart skip a beat as Roxas turned that bright, wide smile over to him. "Thanks, Axel. You're the best."

Feeling his face heat in a blush, Axel looked away, rubbing the back of his head. "Eh, you're welcome. I just got you what I always get."

"You like grilled cheese and tomato soup too?" Axel nodded and chanced a glance back, only to have his heart stop completely.

Celestial blue eyes positively sparkled down at him. Roxas hopped down off the bunk and hugged the redhead who just froze at the sudden, unexpected affection from Roxas.

----------------------

"Hehehe…look, he's blushing!" Demyx whispered over to Sora, who nodded and grinned around his mouthful of sandwich.

Zexion crossed his arms and watched Axel and Roxas. Even though Roxas had voluntarily touched him, which Axel had hoped for by getting the boy's favorite meal no doubt, Axel had yet to make a move himself. He just stood there looking stunned, arms hanging limply at his sides.

-----------------------

_Oops…what have I done? Oh god, I hope he doesn't get the wrong idea…_

Roxas pulled away and glanced up at Axel, confused by the almost pained expression on the redhead's face.

_Now I wonder…what must he be thinking to look like that?_

-----------------------

_I…I wasn't expecting that…sure, I'd foreseen his gratitude, and I'd intended to take advantage of that…but a hug? A laugh? A smile?_ Axel blinked, bringing the room back into focus. Roxas stood in front of him, looking worried more for himself than for Axel.

Axel could practically hear what Roxas was thinking…

_"Fuck…he's insane isn't he? I just hugged a fucking psycho…"_

He forced a smile and laughed. "Well, you're welcome. I just remembered, I forgot my wallet in the cafeteria. Better go get it." He said hurriedly before dashing out of the room.

_Oh god, why couldn't I hug him back? Why couldn't I just grope him like I'd planned? Like I've always done to every other guy?_

Because it wasn't just 'every other guy'.

It was Roxas.

-----------------------

"His wallet is sitting on the desk." Zexion pointed out mildly, stealing a chip from Demyx, crunching loudly.

"Why would he lie?" Sora wondered, thinking hard as he chewed slowly, a rare feat for the brunet.

Demyx snorted. "Duh, because he was embarrassed by the hug."

Roxas stared at the closed door. He had a feeling Demyx was partly right.

But if that was the case…then what was the rest of the reason?

------------------------

Riku paused outside the dorm building. Building B, room 8. Sora was only a couple hundred feet away…but now Riku found himself hesitating.

"What if he doesn't want to see me?" Riku asked no one in particular as he stood uncertainly on the doorstep. "What if he isn't there and I have to face his friends?"

Worse, what if he ended up having to deal with Sora's twin?

"With my luck, I'm not about to chance it…" Riku turned to leave, but paused again. He couldn't make himself leave. Not when he was so close to Sora. Not when he'd gotten this far.

He took a deep breath and walked in. He attended this school and even though he didn't live on campus, he could go where he wanted. If not because he was a student, because of who he was…

Riku strode past the common room and down the first hall on his left. Along the way, he passed by a taller redhead whom he recognized from the group Sora hung out with. What was his name again? Axel…that's right. Axel.

Axel kept walking, not seeming to notice anything around him. He was distracted and looking almost…hurt.

Riku knew that look all to well and he didn't stop to dwell on why the redhead could possibly look so stunned and devastated. All he could think about was Sora behind the door he now stood in front of.

_All I have to do is knock…just knock, Riku…then you can see Sora…_

But what if his brother answered?

_What are the odds of that happening?_

Yeah, but with his luck…

_Things have been so bad lately, something good has to happen, right?_

Emboldened by this, Riku stood up straighter, raised his fist, and knocked.

"What?" Riku stiffened at the voice.

Standing on the other side of the door, glaring up at him was none other than…Roxas, Sora's hardass twin brother.

_Shit._

"Who is it, Rox?" Sora came up and spotted Riku. The brunet squealed in delight and tackle hugged the silver-haired boy. "RIKU, HI!"

Riku watched as Roxas' face darkened dangerously.

_Double shit._

"Who is this, Sora?" Roxas asked coldly, pulling his brother off of Riku. Sora smiled.

"Riku, this is my brother Roxas," Sora laughed. "Roxas, this is Riku," _please don't say it, Sora, please don't say it…_

"And he's been stalking me for the past week! I finally met him on the beach yesterday when I went off alone. Isn't that great?"

Riku could practically feel those hard blue eyes, like Sora's in every way except for the emotions swimming in them, burn holes through his body.

"WHAT?!"

_Shit, fuckity fuck fucker bitch, god damn it!_ Now he was in for it...

* * *

Erm...sorry to those of you who wanted an epic battle of the socks...this was the extent of my talent...

SQUEEE! X3 but there ya go...some fluff for ya'll...the fluff will return in full fluffy force in the next few chapters...because i think this story is going too damn slow...i'm going to start skipping around.

ahem, anyways, that little poem thingy at the beginning is mine. It just randomly came to me when i sat down to write this chappie. pretty good huh? Oh, Axel is a poet and we didn't know it! lol, well, i did...oh, and a fun little tidbit...the entire time i wrote this chapter...i was listening to the song Shut Up and Sleep With Me...can we say L-O-L?!

**Roxas**: SHE'S LOOSE, GET HER!!!

**Kanta**: (runs in with rope and tape)

**Ramen**: (squeaks and runs) YOU'RE A HORRIBLE LITTLE BOY ROXAS!!!! DX

**Axel**: Review, got it memorized? (sweatdrops as Ramen dashes past) and now i must be the hero...excuse me...


	14. Disection Dissention

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

o.O' sorry about that...lol, you're probably all wondering why i'm uploading so fast...or you just don't care and are just grateful for my strange habit...XD which is fine by me...truth is, i'm just sitting here at home, bored out of my mind because i have no life...so i'm writing to pass the time. Lucky for you all, huh? Like I said before, I'm going to start skipping around and picking up the pace of the story, because I'm just as anxious as the rest of you for the yaoi to start...plus, there's a big conflict to come and I wanna write it! WAAAHHH! ahem...

I'd like to put aside some time and space to thank all of you who've reviewed, you all make me so happeh...(sniffs) and I can't thank you all enough for liking my story! Hugs and Chocolates for everybody!! (showers reviewers in hugs and candy)

**Kanta:** (stumbles into the room, panting for breath) okay...i give up...you can just do whatever the hell you want...

**Ramen**: heheh, glad we could agree on something

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kindgom Hearts or its characters...i just have wild fantasies about them and, fourtunately for you who enjoy my story, i put those fantasies on...er...documents, since it's not really paper on the computer...but if you wanted to keep with the original saying, the whole "putting pen to paper" dealio then...(starts randomly rambling)

**Roxas**: I really wish she would die... (glares at Ramen)

**Demyx**: (sweatdrops) heh...you guys should just read...Ramen will be a while...

* * *

Days passed, then weeks closely followed. The group attended classes and spent every Friday evening with Asmara. They'd gather somewhere and stay up watching movies, playing games and just getting to know each other better.

Riku came by every afternoon to see Sora, and more often than not, he was turned away by the ever vigilant Roxas, who still hadn't forgiven Riku for stalking his brother and thinking dirty thoughts about the brunet, although Riku had given no indication that he had…but of course, he_ did _have those thoughts…

They now sat in their anatomy class, the only class the entire group: Demyx, Zexion, Sora, Roxas, Axel and Asmara, had together.

Roxas paled as he heard the assignment for the day.

"Today, we're dissecting fetal pigs, class. Sit with your lab partner and record the data required that I've written up on the board. This _will_ affect your mid-term grade, so don't dawdle, just get it done. And do it right." The professor, dressed in an ankle-length, white lab coat and latex gloves wandered up and down the rows of black-top counters trios of students sat at.

Axel poked Roxas' forehead. "You okay, champ? You ain't looking too hot…"

He couldn't even muster the irritation to snap at the redhead for calling him 'champ'…oh, this was not good. Roxas wasn't the dissection type. He got faint from a bloody nose for fuck's sake…

-------------------

Axel leaned over to Sora and whispered, "Psst, Sora, what's up with Roxas? Why does he look like he's about to pass out?"

Sora made a face at Axel. "Duh, isn't it obvious? He's got a weak stomach."

Axel looked Roxas over carefully. The blond was sitting ram-rod straight on his stool, his hands clenched tightly on the counter top. His face was white as chalk and he had that half surprised, half ill look every person sported seconds before they lost their lunch.

"Roxas?" Axel gently laid his hand on Roxas' fist. The boy jumped a bit and blinked rapidly, staring at Axel. "It's okay, dude. You'll be fine. We're lab partners and I won't make you touch anything, mkay?"

Roxas covered his mouth with both hands, gagging.

_Okay…maybe not the best thing to say…_ Axel thought wryly. Heh, he could have fun with this. He was tired of longing for Roxas from afar, day after day, night after night. It had been weeks and Roxas _still_ wasn't warming up to him past companionship. Axel was sick of waiting…maybe he could torture Roxas…just a little bit…so the blond could share in the suffering Axel had been enduring for the past five weeks.

---------------------

Demyx leaned over Zexion in a totally unnecessary move to reach for the box of gloves on the other side of the table. Asmara, sitting across from the boys, hid a smile behind her hand at the action. It was painfully obvious that Axel wasn't the only one pining for a special someone…

Even funnier…or sadder…was that, even though Demyx was anything but subtle, Zexion was still blissfully unaware. Seriously, how dense could a person get? Asmara sighed. Did she have to do _everything?_

"Hey, Zex, can I cut it open?" Demyx asked with fake enthusiasm. He just wanted to have Zexion talk to him.

Zexion pulled his gloves on with a snap. "I don't care, Demyx. Just don't ruin the specimen…unlike you, my scholarship isn't music based, and if I fail this class, I'm out."

"I promise I'll be careful…" Demyx pouted. The professor passed by their counter and set down a tray in the center along with a kit filled with gleaming, surgical sharp instruments.

Lying on its side in the middle of the tray, was the tiny pig body they were supposed to cut and pin open.

--------------------

Roxas gagged again, hacking behind his gloved hand as he saw the pig. Sora patted his back comfortingly even as he reached for the dissection kit.

"It'll be okay, Rox." He assured as he pulled out the scalpel and began to carefully cut open the pig's stomach.

Roxas turned his face away, trying not to inhale too deeply the sickly heavy smell of formaldehyde. _Oh dear god…it stinks…and I can…I can hear Sora cutting…he's….sawing it? Wha..?_

"Sora, knock it off! You'll ruin it!" Axel took the scalpel from the brunet who stuck his tongue out at the redhead. "Why don't you just copy down the instructions?" Axel suggested with a sigh.

"Fine, I WILL!" Sora took out a pencil and started to jot down what was written on the board at the front of the room.

"Hey…Roxas,"

Roxas carefully turned his head back to look over at Axel without having to see the pig. "Y-yeah?"

"Watch this." Axel held up the scalpel then slowly lowered it to the pig that lay on its back, its middle cut open and pinned in place, exposing the organs. Roxas couldn't help it, his eyes followed the blade. Axel grinned like a psycho and stuck the scalpel up the pig's anus. "OBJECT RAPE!" he giggled madly.

Roxas couldn't take it anymore…he threw up.

"EEWWW!" everyone in the room shouted together as Roxas hurled. He covered his mouth with one hand and wrapped the other around his stomach as he ran from the room, coughing.

--------------------

"Whoa! Did you guys see Roxas?" Demyx shouted in amazement as he stared at the counter table next to theirs.

"As a matter of fact, I did, Demyx." Asmara answered with a dark scowl. Axel was sitting on his stool and looking far too self-satisfied. _He truly is impossible…_

"I wish I hadn't seen it, Demyx," Zexion said, looking a little pale himself. "But why don't we stop dwelling on that and just finish our own?"

Asmara stood and stalked over to Axel, stabbing the redhead in the head with her gloved, fluid covered finger.

"GAH, WOMAN! DON'T TOUCH THE HAIR!" Axel growled up at her, glaring.

"Axel Utada, if you don't go after him and apologize, I swear to god YOU will be the next thing we dissect."

Axel raised an eyebrow at Asmara, but stood and left anyways.

"Wha? What happened? Where did Roxas and Axel go?" Sora asked as he looked around at the empty stools around him. Asmara rolled her eyes and couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, Sora," Asmara shook her head, smiling at the brunet. "Just come over to our table and finish the assignment with us."

Sora smiled wide. "OKAY!"

------------------------

Roxas leaned over the toilet again. He couldn't stop throwing up, it just kept coming back. Ugh, if he survived this, he swore on his life that Axel would pay. He knew the redhead had done that on purpose to freak Roxas out. Maybe he hadn't meant for it to go this far, but that didn't change the fact that Axel had done that on _purpose_.

"Roxas? You still in here?" speak of the devil, there he was. Roxas flushed the toilet and stood, leaving the stall and going to a sink. He completely ignored Axel as he rinsed out his mouth and hung his head, trying to stave off the urge to blow chunks yet again.

Axel's face appeared next to his and Roxas groaned, turning away. "What do you want?"

"I came after you. You okay?" he didn't sound all that concerned. In fact, Axel sounded almost…satisfied. His words were kind, but the tone was more along the lines of: "ha, got ya, you sooo deserved that, nana nana boo boo".

Roxas snorted and instantly regretted doing so as his gorge rose in his throat again. He swallowed hard to get rid of it, another bad move, as the convulsive swallowing made his stomach churn and cramp.

"Oh, come on, it was just a joke. Lighten up already."

"Axel…shut…up…" Roxas threatened in a pathetic, thready voice.

Axel turned him around and forced his head up with a hand on Roxas' chin. The smile on his face was entirely unpleasant. "So…I guess this would be a bad time to kiss you, huh?"

Roxas' answer was to vomit again…all over Axel.

---------------_Later_----------------

Demyx sat in the empty music room, strumming his sitar and humming sadly along with the achy melody. Anatomy had been rather odd, but fun nonetheless. Demyx sighed. He just wished that Zexion had noticed him. He only ever noticed the musician when Demyx was hurt or doing something bad.

_Why can't he just notice me for me?_

It wasn't fair. He'd had feelings for Zexion for practically his whole life, and Zexion only ever saw him as his best friend. Sure, it was great being friends, and maybe it was best to just stay that way, since a confession of feeling could only make that great companionship awkward.

Asmara had told him to stop being a coward and just admit how he felt…but Demyx was just that…a coward, and never would.

"Hey, Dem, you ready to go?" Zexion asked as he slipped into the room. Demyx stared up at the slate-haired boy from where he sat for a moment, knowing that his longing was plainly written on his face. But Zexion didn't so much as look at him. He kept staring around the room at the walls, up at the ceiling, anywhere but Demyx.

Demyx sighed and set his sitar back in its case. Zipping it shut and swinging it smoothly onto his shoulder, he stood and nodded. He took Zexion's hand, but it wasn't anything romantic or sweet…it was a 'just friends' kind of thing. Zexion only put up with it because Demyx insisted.

_Maybe I'm just a dreamer after all…_

---------------------------

Sora sat in the park, swinging his legs and whistling. He glanced up at the clouds and grinned, pointing at one. "That one looks like the pig we dissected in Anatomy!"

He looked around the skyscape before pointing again. "And that one looks like what Roxas left on the counter after he got sick!" Sora giggled, still pointing at the large, shapeless blob of a fluffy cloud.

Riku came up behind the brunet and covered his eyes. Sora stiffened but relaxed when the silver-haired boy leaned over his shoulder and whispered, "Guess who?"

"Riku!" Sora laughed. "Let go!" Riku did and Sora whirled around, hugging him hard.

"I heard something about a pig and Roxas…those two wouldn't happen to be one in the same, would they?" Riku asked in a teasing voice, although on the inside he was secretly hoping that that was the case. He had found that he didn't care that much for Roxas…

Sora punched Riku's arm playfully. "No, silly! We were dissecting pigs in Anatomy and Roxas got sick. I was just pointing out the clouds that looked like it!"

Riku made a face. "Sora…that's kind of gross."

"Oh, I know, but I couldn't help it." Sora bounced up and down happily. "So, where are we gonna go today, Riku? Huh? Huhh?"

Riku smiled and took Sora's hand. "I'm going to take you for a ride…"

"Ooo, what kind of ride, Riku?" Sora asked innocently, his blue eyes wide and glowing.

_So innocent…so unknowing…if he knew what kind of ride I _really_ wanted to take him on…would he be so sweet and trusting then?_ Riku wondered as he gazed down into that beautiful face that haunted his dreams.

"Riku?"

"Oh, right," Riku cleared his throat, shaking off images of Sora and him doing…ahem…things… "Um, ever ridden in a limousine, Sora?"

Sora's eyes nearly popped out of his head they went so wide. "WE'RE GONNA RIDE IN A LIMO?!"

Riku laughed, "Yes, we are, Sora."

"COOL!" Sora let go of Riku's hand and hopped up on the silver-haired boy's back. "YOU'RE THE BEST, RIKU!"

Without protest, Riku carried Sora through the park to the front of the campus. Waiting for them there was the anticipated limo, gleaming black in the sunlight. The diver, dressed in a charcoal suit, bowed and opened the back door.

"Master Riku."

"Thanks, Jackson." Sora pouted when Riku put him down, but brightened up instantly when Riku gently pushed him into the limo.

The driver, Jackson, closed the door behind Riku and walked around to the front of the vehicle. Sora sat in the plush leather seats, pressing random buttons and looking like he'd just won a life-time supply of ice-cream.

"This is sooo cool, Riku…is this your limo?" when Riku nodded, smiling modestly, Sora gaped and pointed. "WAIT A MINUTE! YOU AREN'T _THE_ RIKU TANAKA ARE YOU?! THE BILLIONAIRE'S SON?!"

Riku blinked at Sora. "I thought you already knew that…"

"OHMYGOD! I'M FRIENDS WITH RIKU TANAKA!!!" Sora cried in joy out the window as they started down the street.

Though his heart sank at the word 'friend', Riku laughed and pulled Sora's head back into the limo. "Alright, that'll do, Sora."

Sora grinned sheepishly. "Sorry…I'm just…wow…"

"You, ah, wanna get some ice-cream or something?" Riku asked, trying to change the subject.

That pouty mouth fell open and Sora drooled a bit. Taking that as a yes, Riku leaned forward and told the driver their destination.

------------------------------

"Well, what did you want me to do? Be nice when he's been torturing me for weeks?" Axel asked defensively as he stomped into the common room where Asmara sat on the couch, arms crossed.

"Axel, he's just being himself. I thought you liked who he was."

"I DO!" Axel shouted, throwing his towel at Asmara's head. "I just wish…wish he would give me a chance…you know? Let me in…just a little…"

Asmara sighed and pulled the towel off her head. She gazed up at the sulking redhead sympathetically. "Then just ask him out already, Axel."

"Are you insane? I can't ask him out!"

"Why not?"

"Because I like him too much!"

"Axel…that doesn't make any sense."

"It does to me!" Axel ran both hands through his damp hair, sighing.

Asmara stood and patted his back. "Axel…you're a great guy eighty percent of the time…but sometimes, you can be a real pain in the ass."

"Something he prides himself on, I'm sure." Roxas snapped as he came through the room.

Asmara jerked her head over at the retreating blond, looking pointedly at Axel. _"This is your chance, go apologize and ask him out." _She said with her eyes.

"Aw man…" Axel groaned before taking off after Roxas.

-----------------------------

"Roxas! Wait up!"

Roxas stopped, though why, he couldn't figure out, and turned back to Axel. "What? Haven't you humiliated me enough?"

"Roxas…look, about that thing in Anatomy…I'm real sorry…I just wanted to mess with you."

"Why? What did I ever do to you?" Roxas demanded heatedly.

_Besides make me want you every second of every day while not even letting me near?_ Axel placed his hands on Roxas' shoulders and hung his head. "You've been hurting me for a while now, Roxas…"

"Eh?"

"Never mind…it was dumb of me to try and get petty revenge…" Axel straightened and looked Roxas right in the eye. "You remember a few weeks back when we had that staring contest?"

"Yeah…" Roxas said uncertainly, leaning away from Axel a bit.

"I won and the deal was I got to ask you a question…remember?"

Roxas stared at Axel incredulously. "You're seriously going to ask me that question NOW?!"

"Yes, because I've finally thought of the perfect question to ask." Axel replied. He shifted a bit uncertainly. _Gah, come on, Axel, get in the game. You've asked guys out before, why should this be any different?_

….because it was Roxas he was asking….

"Well?" Roxas asked impatiently tapping his foot. He couldn't believe he was actually forgiving Axel for what he'd done and was standing here, listening to him.

"Will you…uh…" Axel paused but the reply was instantaneous.

"No."

Axel glared at the shorter blond. "You didn't even know what I was going to ask!"

"You were going to ask me out, right?"

"Well…"

"The answer is still no."

"And why the hell not?!" Axel demanded, giving Roxas a small shake. Roxas just laughed and pushed the redhead away.

"Because I'm busy." Roxas started to walk away, but he paused after only a few feet. He tossed Axel a teasing grin over his shoulder, "But I'm free Saturday."

Axel stood dumbstruck in the hallway as Roxas continued walking away.

_He…he said yes…_

"YES!!"

---------------------------

Sitting on the couch in the common room, a certain pink-haired girl smiled in satisfaction to herself as she heard Axel's victory cry.

_Two down, two to go…_

_

* * *

_XD HA! How ya'll like THEM apples?! Meheheheheh, Riku and Sora ride in a limo (when my family went to Vegas, we rode in a limo...and the driver's name was Jackson...lol, don't you just love my originality?) and you find out more about Riku's backround, Axel is naughty with the dead pig (yeah, when my bio class dissected rats...i did the same thing Axel did...XD bad, i know), Roxas gets sick, Demyx pines, Asmara plots and...what's this? ROXAS SAID YES?! WOOOOT!

**Axel**: (hugs Roxas) It'll be a date you'll never forget Roxy...

**Roxas**: (groans and fends Axel off) I REALLY wish you would just DIE, Ramen!

**Ramen**: Oh...I don't think I will, Roxas...that would make these amazing people who read and review my story very, very sad. (grins suggestively) besides, Axel's right...it WILL be an epic date..just wait. O.o lol, that's right...it will rhyme too!

**Kanta**: (sighs) ... ... ...

Review plz! X3 oh, and before I forget...I've got the Zemyx pairing planned out...and I clearly have the AkuRoku going...but I'm still a bit off on the SoRiku...nothing seems to WORK!! gah...so, I am asking you, my readers, for any suggestions on how those two will get together. (winks) thanks again.


	15. An Afternoon Together

**Kanta**: right...so, here's the next chapter people...Ramen is busy being sick right now, so I'll introduce this chapter. There isn't too much to say, so just read. Oh, and Ramen would like to thank all of you new reviewers and old reviewers who are still reading and she apologizes for those of you who were expecting this chapter to be the AkuRoku date. that one is currently a work in progress though and she promises to have it up by tomorrow at the latest.

**Disclaimer**: KH and its character do not belong to Ramen, only her story, which she is not writing for profit, does.

**Demyx**: GROSS! SHE MISSED!

**Kanta:** (sighs) read and enjoy

* * *

That Friday afternoon, the gang were all assembled at the campus café and chatting amongst themselves, waiting patiently for the clock to strike five so they could collect Asmara and head over to the lounge in the main building for their weekly get-together. They sat at their usual table at the front of the café where they could see the entire interior and occasional glimpses of Asmara as she zipped around in the back and came out from behind the counter to distribute orders.

Axel sat back with a sigh, a toothpick sticking out of the side of his mouth. He'd been chewing the damn thing for a good hour and a half now, and Roxas couldn't take his eyes off of the redhead's mouth. He kept telling himself that it was because of that infernal stick and refused to consider that it could possibly be for another reason. Shaking his head slightly, Roxas took as careful sip of his coffee, trying hard not the grimace at the bland taste. The coffee here sucked…

Demyx sat on the other side of the table, unusually quiet. He constantly glanced over at Zexion who sat next to him, but Zexion kept his eyes glued to his book and didn't even look up once. Demyx shifted a bit in his chair and Zexion said three words, in a rather harsh tone.

"Demyx, sit still."

The musician froze in his chair and sighed.

"Where's Sora?" Demyx asked, directing the question at Roxas, who blinked over at the other blond.

"Well…I'm not sure…but he better not be with that A-hole Riku…" Roxas started grumbling under his breath. Something about Riku, gasoline, and Axel's lighter.

Axel chuckled and ruffled Roxas' hair, earning him a glare from the boy. "You're too protective. I'm sure Sora can handle himself. Just because he's naïve doesn't mean he's stupid. I'm almost positive that kid has some kind of creep detector."

Roxas tried to fix his hair as he answered. "I don't care; I still don't want that freak around my little brother."

"He's younger by what? Three minutes?" Axel scoffed.

"Ten."

"Oh, well that makes all the difference then, doesn't it?"

"As a matter of fact, it does, Axel!" Roxas snapped, standing. "It's my job to take care of him, and if you can't understand that…"

"Take a chill pill, Roxas." Axel waved the blond back into his seat. "Jesus, you're volatile today…" when Roxas glared again and made to walk away, Axel grabbed his arm and yanked him back into his chair. "Don't you walk away from me…"

"Or you'll what?" Roxas challenged. "You can't tell me what to do."

"Au contraire, he can, you just won't do as he says." Asmara broke in, pausing by their table with a broad smile.

"Hey, Asmara," Demyx said brightly.

"Hello, Dem."

"What's up?" Axel asked.

"Well, I was thinkin'… you guys always sitting here, bored out of your minds waiting for me to get done with what I'm doing…why don't I get off early?"

The boys perked up at this and looked at the pink-haired waitress. "Can you do that?" they asked together.

Asmara giggled. "I'll have to stay late tomorrow, but yeah."

"Cool!"

At that moment, Sora came bouncing into the café dragging along a reluctant looking Riku.

Roxas lost it.

He shot out of his chair and yanked Sora away from Riku. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Riku crossed his arms and stared down at Roxas with a raised eyebrow. "Last I checked, shrimp, this was a public place."

"Please don't fight you two!" Sora begged, looking ready to cry.

"Fine…can't speak for your brother, Sunshine, but I won't fight." Riku assured, patting Sora on the head and making the brunet smile. However, Roxas' eye twitched at the pet name Riku had given his twin and fisted his hands.

"Stay away from him, Riku." Roxas threatened.

"I'm going to kick both your asses outta here if you don't sit down and shut the hell up." Asmara snapped, looking ready to crack their skulls together. Both boys instantly sat and stared up at her, wide-eyed. She smiled brightly. "Good boys."

After she left, Roxas sneered at Riku who glared right back.

--------------------

Demyx sighed at the hostility, and the fact that Zexion hadn't so much as budged let alone looked up from his book to see the commotion. He'd even tried leaning against Zexion, since Demyx knew how much he hated it, but Zexion had only held the book higher, covering his face, as if to hide the sight of Demyx. Could he have possibly found out about how Demyx felt about him, and now he was too disgusted to look at him?

What a depressing thought…

---------------------

Axel rested his arm on the back of Roxas' chair and finally took the toothpick out of his mouth. "Hey guys, I'm gonna step out for a bit." He stood, tossing the toothpick in the trash bin. "I'll be back in a few."

That caught Zexion's attention. When nothing else could, the way Axel said those words and glanced outside almost nervously did. Zexion closed his book for the first time and set it aside.

"Axel…" he began.

The redhead shrugged almost apologetically and left.

------------------------

Roxas and Sora stared at each other questioningly, then shook their heads together when neither could tell what was wrong.

Roxas turned to Zexion. "What's the big deal?"

Zexion sighed sadly and picked up his book again.

Roxas didn't like that answer, so he pushed up from his chair and followed after Axel. He pushed open the front door of the café and glanced around the sidewalk, spotting the redhead standing with his back to him at the corner. Roxas jogged up to him, calling.

"Hey, Axel, what's…" Roxas slowed to a stop, his question trailing off as Axel turned around. "You _smoke_?"

--------------------------

_Shit_. He'd been caught. He'd hoped that Zexion would keep his mouth shut. Axel sighed and took the cigarette out of his mouth, exhaling a plume of smoke. Then again, knowing Zexion and knowing Roxas, Zexion had said nothing and Roxas had followed because he was stubborn.

Axel held up the smoldering cigarette. "Yeah…I do. Have for a couple of years now."

"Those are bad for you, Axel." Roxas said in a small voice. He sounded like he'd been crushed. "They'll kill you eventually."

"Yeah, well…when I started, that thought didn't bother me."

"You say that like now it does."

"It does."

"Then why are you still doing it? Why don't you just quit?" Roxas demanded.

"Spoken like a true non-smoker, Roxas." Axel laughed quietly. "I have been trying to quit actually…ever since I met you."

Roxas didn't look like he bought that. He crossed his arms and looked away. "Sure."

"It's hard, Roxas. It isn't like I can just toss the habit and be done with it." Axel defended. "If it's any consolation, this is the first one I've had since the semester started."

"That's been, what, two months?" Roxas shot back, sounding disappointed now.

Axel had the sudden urge to take a huge drag in front of the blond, just to get to him…but he couldn't. In fact, he just flicked the bud away and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Considering that fact that I used to smoke a pack a day, that's quite an improvement."

Roxas gave him a doubtful look.

"Damn it Roxas! I'm trying to be better for you!"

-----------------------

Roxas fought down the smile that tried to break free at Axel's words. He was actually surprised. He never would have guessed that Axel was a smoker. His clothes never smelled, his breath wasn't rancid…although it was still bad in the morning. But he couldn't shake the disappointment that had risen at the sight of Axel with that cigarette in his mouth.

"Give me your lighter." Roxas held his hand out, making a decision.

"What?"

"You heard me." Roxas snapped his fingers. "Give it to me."

Axel dug the Zippo out of his pocket and handed it over hesitantly. "Why?"

Roxas took it and looked long and hard at the small, metal contraption. He flicked it open and stared at the small flame that came to life before closing it and stuffing it away into his own pocket.

"Keep your cigarettes, Axel. But the lighter is mine."

------------------------

Axel's mouth fell open. How could Roxas have possibly known that he refused to use any lighter but his own?

"Damn it…"

Roxas grinned and patted Axel on the arm. "We'll cure you yet, Axel."

"Whatever…"

Sora came barreling out of the café, everybody including Asmara following after him.

"ROXAS!"

Roxas turned around. "What?"

"COME ON! WE'RE GONNA GO BUY CELL PHONES!"

"… … …"

Asmara came up to them and explained. "Remember how I was talking about you guys always waiting around for me? Well, Riku, sweetheart he is, has decided to take us all out and we're going to all get a cell, that way, we can keep in touch. We'll all only be a phone call or text message away!" she raised her arms up in the air as she said the last part, laughing.

-------------------------

Roxas turned an evil look over to Riku, who shrugged it off and looked away. That bastard was trying to soften them up. He was winning over all of Roxas' friends and leaving them to convince Roxas to warm up to him. That plotting son of a—

Axel snorted. "Heh, I'm game. Who would pass up a free phone?" he nudged Roxas. "How 'bout it?"

Roxas crossed his arms and huffed. "Whatever."

"The answer of the day is 'whatever'!" Asmara announced, making everybody but Roxas laugh.

----------_Later_-----------

The small electronics store was crowded with the five friends and Riku. (Roxas' words, not mine, lol) They'd all decided that buying the same phone in bulk would be best, and they'd also come to the conclusion that the oh so popular Razr was prime…it was also on sale.

Now they browsed around the shop, finding little accessories to personalize their own phones so they wouldn't get confused. Asmara took the simple approach and bought a coral pink case for her phone. Zexion's had a new case that was the color of gunmetal and absolutely dismal. Demyx found one that was aqua colored with bubbles all over and he squealed every time he looked down at it. Sora's was rather childish as it was yellow with black Mickey Mouse heads scattered around randomly. He said it was "sweet".

Roxas kept it simple like Asmara and bought a case for his phone that was midnight, almost navy, blue.

Axel took the longest, but finally, he found a case that he declared was "fuckin' kick ass". Needless to say, it included fire. The case was black with a metallic shine and flames curling up the sides.

"Hell. Yes." Axel grinned.

They left the electronics store together, chatting about this and that. Axel moved to walk next to Roxas.

"Dude…Roxas…check this out." The blond raised an expectant eyebrow as Axel pressed play on one of the default ringtones.

"_I like the way you do that right thurr, (right thurr)_

_Swish your hips when you walk, let down your hair (down your hurr)_

_I like the way you do that right thurr, (right thurr)_

_Wet your lips when you talk, that make me slurr (make me slurr)"_

They were laughing so hard they had to lean against one another to keep from falling over. Roxas covered his face, shaking his head. Axel was just grateful for the opportunity to be close and touch the blond.

"That's horrible…" Roxas gasped out between giggles.

"Yeah…"

Roxas stopped laughing and stared up at Axel, who gazed right back. Cue awkward moment…

Unsurprisingly, Roxas was the first to break eye contact and step away. He coughed into his hand and looked away. "Um…we should catch up to the others."

"Right…" Axel sighed and closed his new phone, sticking it in his pocket.

_Tomorrow's our first date…c'mon Axel, keep it together. You only have to wait for tonight to be over._

---------_That Night_---------

"Alright…the game is Truth or Dare, ya'll." Asmara announced to the group that sat around in the empty lounge of the main building back on campus. "The consequence of refusing to tell a truth or act out a dare shall be…"

Everybody sat forward in their seats expectantly.

"Tongue kisses between the challenger and the refusing challenged!" Asmara laughed at the shell-shocked looks on all the boys' faces. She was sick of them all beating around the bush with each other. This way, she could get the ones who wanted one another, but were too stubborn to admit it, together…and she could make those in denial jealous…which was just as good as a confession.

Sora raised his hand. "Um…but what if Roxas asks me to do something and I refuse? Do I still have to stick my tongue in his mouth?…cuz that's gross."

"I agree." Roxas raised his hand to drive his point home.

Asmara sighed. "Okay, no. You guys can just…kiss each other on the cheek or something…we don't need any twincest going on here."

"What about you?" Demyx asked.

"What about me?" Asmara replied, confused.

"Do we…um…have to kiss you if we refuse?" he blushed as he asked. Asmara laughed at the slightly ill look on everyone's face, save for Zexion, who never really had an expression, and Sora, who giggled and blushed.

"You guys can decide if you want to kiss me on the lips or the cheek." She answered, making the boys sigh in relief. _Lord help me…I'm surrounded by gays…_not that that was a bad thing to her. No, Asmara saw herself as the matchmaker of this group. She was put here for a reason…and it seemed that reason was pairing off gay boys who refused to confess their feelings.

"So, is everyone in agreeance?" Asmara asked, looking around at the group. They all shrugged and nodded. Asmara smiled. "Great…let's get started!"

* * *

**Roxas**: I SWEAR I DIDN'T POISON HER! 

**Kanta**: tell the truth, Roxas...

**Demyx**: yeah...she was fine earlier...then you made her a late breakfast and now she won't stop barfing...which is nasty

**Roxas**: I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!

**Ramen**: Heya guys! (stops and barfs) I'll be right back (walks away)...review pplz...


	16. The Truth Hurts, Dares Make You Cry

Hello peoples! I'm feeling much better now! And I still don't know what happened, but earlier, I just felt plain awful...thanks again to Kanta for setting up the last chappie for me! Anyways, despite being sick, I wrote two chapters today so I'm giving you the next of the two. I'm still working on the date chapter, so if anyone has any suggestions or requests of anything then feel free to say so! Same still goes for Riku and Sora...they're closer now but I still haven't figured out how to make them a true pair, so if you have any ideas then let me know, otherwise I'll just make something up! lol

**Kanta**: You're going to make yourself sick again if you keep talking...

**Ramen**: Almost done I promise!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own KH or its characters...meh

Oh, and I'd like to dedicate this chapter to **Blaze Moonlight** for leaving the longest review so far! YAYS! Oh, and I'd like to give a shout out to **Judiro, **who's story is AWESOME and if you haven't read it yet, then you need to go read it now...seriously, ignore the new chappie and go READ! lol, it's called The Loved, The Stalked, and the Pink Haired Man

* * *

So far, the game had been mellow. And Asmara was about to yank her hair out by the roots.

Nobody was asking anything that the other refused to do…they were all wary of the consequence. Well…except for Axel…but Axel, for some odd reason, wasn't getting the chance to ask Roxas anything…it was weird.

And obviously aggravating to the redhead.

When it finally was his turn, however, Axel surprised them all by asking Sora, not Roxas.

"Hey, Sora, truth or dare?" Axel asked, grinning.

Sora looked just as surprised as everybody else, but he managed to stutter out his choice. "T-truth."

Axel's grin widened. "Perfect…alright, tell me something about Roxas that he would never tell me himself."

Roxas' face went red and he looked like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out of his open mouth. Instead, he just shoved at the redhead sitting on the couch next to him.

Riku scooted closer to Sora, even though they were pretty close already from sitting in the same chair, as the brunet stared at the ceiling, tapping his chin in thought. He was seriously pondering his answer. _Good, _Axel thought in satisfaction, _I want this to be a real secret revealed…something I can work with…c'mon Sora, don't disappoint me…_

"Well…" Sora finally said. "Roxas is a pretty good dancer. Ah, hell, he's the best dancer!" Sora announced with a laugh. "He was the best dancer back home, everybody loved him!"

Sora would've gone on, but Roxas had shot forward and covered his twin's mouth, looking mortified.

Asmara laughed from where she sat on the floor, leaning back against the other couch Demyx and Zexion sat on. The two boys above her had their own share of chuckles.

Axel didn't laugh. Instead, he looked Roxas over with an unreadable look on his face. Finally, he smiled and said, "Alright Sora, your turn."

"Okay!" Sora shoved Roxas away, the blond slumping back in his seat with a groan, and turned to Riku. "Truth or dare, Riku!"

-----------------------

Riku stiffened as everybody turned their attention to him. Sora just grinned brightly up at him, waiting patiently for his reply.

"Um…" Riku chewed his lip nervously. "…dare?"

Sora's face fell, like he'd been expecting Riku to pick truth. "Kay…um…I dare you to….oh! I know!" Sora shifted so he sat on his knees. "I dare you to show everybody your tattoo!"

"He's got a tattoo?" Asmara, Demyx, and Axel asked at the same time.

Riku shrugged and stood, pulling his shirt off and turning to show them the tattoo on the small of his back. It was of a long stemmed rose that looked like it was wilting and bleeding.

Asmara whistled low. "That's awesome…"

Roxas' eyes narrowed. "Yeah…but I'd like to know how Sora knows about that tattoo, Riku…" he turned those angry eyes up to the silver-haired boy who pulled his shirt back on. "You been exposing yourself to my little brother?"

Sora snorted. "Don't be silly, Rox, me and Riku were just wrestling a few days ago and I saw it." The brunet laughed again, the sound like bells to Riku's ears. "He doesn't like people to know about it, but I don't know why."

"That's why you wanted me to pick truth?" Riku guessed and Sora nodded eagerly. Riku chuckled. "Maybe I'll tell you someday, Sunshine."

"Cool! It's your turn, Riku."

Riku thought long and hard about his choice, and then decided he wanted to get back at Roxas.

"Axel…truth or dare?" Axel was just waiting for another turn so he could finally ask Roxas to do something.

The redhead sat back and thought for a moment. "Hm…dare."

"I dare you to kiss Asmara…on the mouth…with tongue." Riku said instantly.

That earned him a bunch of raised eyebrows. Despite their confusion, there was method to his madness.

"Dude…I'm hardcore gay." Axel replied flatly.

"I know…what, are you refusing? Would you rather kiss me?" _god, please don't say yes._

------------------------

Axel sighed in defeat. No, he'd rather kiss Roxas…hell, Demyx would've worked for him. He'd been dared to do that before and it wasn't such a big deal, seeing as they were friends and it was obvious that there wasn't any chemistry between them.

"Fine…" Axel stood and knelt down in front of Asmara. She stared up at him, stunned and wide-eyed. Axel leaned in and…kissed her. She was stiff and hesitant…but she complied when she spotted Roxas glaring at her.

The kiss lasted all of two seconds, and once it was over, they both pulled back, spitting and wiping their mouths.

"No offense." They said to the other at the same time. "But that was just wrong." They smirked at each other and Axel returned to his seat, giving Riku the finger.

"Your turn." The silver-haired boy chuckled.

--------------------------

"Alright…" Axel turned to Roxas. "Roxas…the time has come…truth or dare?"

Roxas crossed his arms defiantly. "Truth."

"Coward." Axel smiled when Roxas flinched at the word. "Fine…tell the truth…did that kiss make you jealous?"

The blond stiffened. "On second thought, I pick dare."

Axel laughed. "What? You're refusing? That's as good as a confession, Roxas."

"No it isn't!" Roxas then got a desperate look on his face. "But since that answers the question, it's my turn now, right?"

"Nope…you changed your mind, remember?"

"…fuck."

"Aw, it won't be that bad, Roxas…" Axel pretended to think about what to dare Roxas to do, but of course, he'd already had the time since Sora's confession of his brother's talents what he wanted Roxas to do.

"Well?"

"Roxas…I dare you to…" everyone leaned forward again, anticipation lighting up their faces.

"What?" Roxas asked warily, feeling cornered.

"Do the Firecracker cheer!"

------------------------

"WHAT?!" Roxas scooted away from an advancing Axel.

"If you don't want to…that's fine…we can just kiss…" Roxas covered Axel's face with a hand and pushed at the unmoving redhead.

"Alright, alright, I'll do it, just get off of me!"

Everybody clapped and cheered as Roxas stood in the center of the circle of furniture. _Why me?_ He thought anxiously. He opened his mouth to object and Axel raised an eyebrow.

Roxas groaned. (just a little side note, if you don't know this cheer, which would be surprising, since almost every person on earth does, I'm sorry if you can't picture it. It's hard to write down…it's so much easier to show you but since I can't, this horrible description will just have to do.)

"Firecracker, firecracker," as Roxas sang the two words, he lifted one leg, then the other clapping his hands under them. "Boom, boom, boom," with each 'boom', Roxas stuck his hips out first right, then left, then right again. He repeated the first two lines and actions before moving on to the next.

"The boys got the muscles," Roxas posed like a muscle head would in front of the mirror. "The teachers got the brains," he tapped the side of his head with a wink. He paused at the next line and glanced pleadingly around at the sorry excuse of friends, but they just clapped and whistled, egging him on with catcalls.

Roxas bent over and trailed both hands in a sexy little wave from ankle to thigh as he said, "The girls got the sexy legs," he jumped in the air like a preppy little cheerleader and shouted, "And we won the game! We won the game!"

Everyone applauded and called 'encore' as Roxas left the room, his face bright red.

---------------------------

"Uh-oh," Riku taunted. "I think you made him cry, Axel."

Sora punched Riku playfully. "Be nice, Riku."

Demyx stared after Roxas and shrugged. "I can't tell from here if he is or not." Zexion kept staring at his hands, folded in his lap and said nothing.

Asmara stood and pointed behind her in the direction Roxas had run off in. Axel sighed and obediently did as she silently ordered.

----------------------------

"Hey Roxas?"

"The date's off, Axel." Roxas said, his voice muffled behind his hands.

"What? You can't mean that! It was just a game." Axel tried to pry Roxas' hands off of his face. "Come on, you can't cancel our date just because of some stupid game."

"This isn't the first time!" Roxas shouted, dropping his hands and staring up at Axel with tears in his eyes. "You've done nothing but embarrass and humiliate me ever since we met!"

Axel rubbed his chest as his heart clenched at the sight of those tear-filled blue eyes. "Roxas…don't you know that I only do that because I like you?"

"Great way of showing it," Roxas spat in a disbelieving tone.

"No really…like how people bully those they like just so they can have their attention. Roxas, you barely even acknowledge my presence unless I do something drastic."

Roxas looked away and sighed. Axel leaned down to keep eye contact. "Can't you see I'm crazy about you?"

"Axel…"

"Don't call off the date…give me just one more chance. One chance to show you that I care." Axel begged.

-----------------------------

Roxas looked back up at Axel and instantly wished that he hadn't. He couldn't resist that pleading look in those impossibly green eyes. How could he say no?

"Alright…" the blond said, slumping back against the wall in defeat.

Axel's eyes cleared and he smiled wide. "Great! You're the best, Roxas!" he leaned in closer and pressed a soft kiss on the tip of Roxas' nose, making the blond blush madly before he turned and walked back to the group.

Roxas remained leaning against the wall, his cheeks pink and his eyes wide. And as he stood there, staring after the redhead, he had a realization.

_I can't wait for tomorrow…_

_

* * *

_(gives a half-hearted squee) hooray! ...blah, i'm still not feeling well, heh. Great news though! Somebody came by to make me feel better!

**Zexion**: No I didn't...I only came here because you stole my book you fiend

**Ramen**: Whatever...you're still here, right? So you might as well give the closing statement

**Zexion**: ... ... ... ...

**Ramen**: (pulls out lighter and Zexion's book) do it or the book gets it

**Zexion**: (sweatdrops) READ AND REVIEW!

**Axel**: You learn well, young grasshopper (pats Ramen on the head)

**Ramen**: (passes out) blargh...


	17. A Tragedy?

(yawns) Hiya peoples...I'm updating this late...took me all day to finish...meh...and I still don't like it...all I can say is...get ready to cry all the tears...tears of laughter, tears of happiness, and tears of sadness...yes, that's right, the angst returns! DA DA DA DUM!!!!

**Kanta**: just let them read and get some sleep...you look like you're about to fall over...

**Ramen**: ZOMG! o.O' ya'll hear that? Kanta sounds worried...aww...ain't that sweet?! X3

**Kanta**: ... ... ...

**Disclaimer**: Don't own anything but the story and plot line...oh, and my OC Asmara...but ya'll knew that...ahem...enough said on that...

Oh! and before I forget, total thanks to **Judiro** an' **Vero**...ya'll are teh best! X3 yes, all you other reviewers out there, I luffles you guys too forever and always! YAYS! And just a little side note, since it's so late, I'm not gonna proof read this...so if there are any mistakes...sorry...but I just can't care right now...the chappie is long anyways, so why are you complaining?

* * *

"AAAHHHH MOW THE LAWN!!!"

"The hell?"

"No clue!"

"It's official…Sora's an idiot."

Demyx cheered and raised his hand. "Dude, welcome to the club, Sor, high five!"

Sora high-fived Demyx though he was pouting. "That wasn't a very nice thing to say, Rox. I'm not an idiot."

"Sora…you just randomly screamed a line from End of Ze World…how the hell does that make you NOT an idiot?" Roxas defended his claim of his brother's lack of intelligence while holding his headphones in one hand and a pair of boxers in the other. Why he was holding the boxers, nobody, not even Roxas, could quite figure out. So they'd deemed it as unimportant.

Zexion sat through it all with an odd look on his face, saying nothing. They'd been confined to their room because there was nothing to do. Asmara was at work, Riku had gone AWOL and even Axel seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth ever since late last night…

------------_Flashback…BEGIN!!!_--------------

Since it was now Roxas' turn, he decided to get back at Axel and went for the gold.

"Axel, truth or dare?" Axel smiled coyly and picked the same answered he'd had so far that night.

"Dare."

Roxas grinned evilly. "Alright…I dare you to sing I Feel Pretty from Westside Story…while stripping."

Axel laughed. "So eager to see me naked, Roxas?"

The blond sputtered at those words and shook his head, face a bright red. "N-no! That's not why I—''

"Oh, it's okay, I understand...you don't have to explain." Axel assured as he stood. "You naughty boy you…" the redhead shot Roxas a wink and the blond buried his face behind his hands, groaning. Even his dare was being turned against him!

"Just down to your boxers, Axel." Roxas clarified.

"Um…question."

"What?"

"What if I'm not wearing any?"

"AXEL!"

"What?"

"…never mind."

Axel laughed again a Roxas' expression. "Hey, it was a joke, Roxas. Of course I'm wearing boxers…I think." He leaned in to whisper in the blonde's ear. "Besides…when I get naked…I intend for you to be the only audience."

Roxas shoved Axel away with an infuriated gasp. If he didn't know that Axel could be a decent guy when he wanted, there would never be any date…ever.

"Ahem…for those of you out there in the audience with weak hearts, I suggest you turn away…this could get a bit too extreme for you." Axel cautioned as he took center stage. Everybody clapped and laughed, whistling and shouting.

"I feel pretty! Oh so pretty! I feel pretty and witty and gay!" Axel began in a happy tone, doing a sexy little dance. "And I pity, any girl who isn't me, today!" since there was no music accompanying his song and dance, Axel filled in the silence as he slipped his shirt off.

"Lalala la la lala!" Axel wiggled his hips, tossing his shirt at Roxas, who just stared wide-eyed, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Go sexy go!" Demyx cheered. Asmara laughed and smacked him playfully on the leg.

"I feel charming! Oh so charming! It's alarming how charming I feel! And so pretty, that I hardly can believe I'm real!"

Asmara, Demyx, Sora, Riku and even Zexion broke into song. "Lalala la la lala!"

Axel did a pirouette and bowed before running a hand down his chest, holding Roxas' eye. His hand slid down slowly to his waist as he kept singing.

"Who is that pretty girl in that mirror there?"

"What mirror where?" the others sang back.

"Who can that attractive girl be?"

"Oh, could it be me?" everybody laughed as they sang.

The zipper of Axel's pants opened with a hiss.

"Such a pretty face, such a pretty dress, such a pretty smile, such a pretty ME!" he kicked off his jeans and, standing in his flame designed boxers, Axel started jumping and prancing around the couches and chairs as he finished the song.

"I feel stunning! And entrancing! I feel like running and dancing for joy!" everyone cheered and clapped along, calling 'more, more!'

Axel stopped behind the couch Roxas sat on and leaned over the back, hugging the blond from the back.

"FOR I'M LOVED, BY A PRETTY WONDERFUL BOY!!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Roxas screamed, jumping away. "Alright, Axel, you're done."

Axel smiled and danced away, leaving his clothes and the confused group behind…

Moral: don't ever ask a proudly gay man to sing and dance to I Feel Pretty…because he'll do it…and do it well!

----------------_Flashback…END!!!_---------------

Everybody's reminiscing was interrupted by the sudden blaring of Sora's phone ringing.

"_Sailing, Sailing,_

_Jumping off the railing,_

_Drinking, drinking,_

_Till the ship is sinking, _

_Gambling, stealing,_

_Lots of sex-appealing,_

_Come let us sing the Sailor Song!"_

Sora scrambled around on his bed until he found the yellow phone with black Mickey Mouse heads all over the case. He grinned from ear to ear when he saw the name and number lit up on the screen. The brunet flipped the phone open, mercifully cutting off the annoying song.

"RIKU! OH. EM. GEE. HI!"

Roxas shook his head and slipped on his headphones, tossing the random pair of boxers he'd been holding away. He sometimes really wished that he and Sora weren't related…that they didn't even know each other…it would make life so much easier…

"Wha? Sure! That sounds awesome!" Sora answered to whatever Riku was saying. Blue eyes nearly popped out of his head and the brunet squealed like mad. "SWEET!"

---------------------

Demyx nudged Zexion, who was reading (again…le gasp!). "Hey…Zexy?"

"Mmm…"

"Let's go do something too. I mean, it sounds like Sora's gonna do something with Riku and Roxas and Axel got their date…why don't we have one too?"

Zexion gave Demyx a strange look over the top of his book.

"Erm…I mean…you know, not like a couple, but like as friends…we could hang out…they're having a movie night in the library…that could be fun, right?" Demyx's voice became more and more uncertain as Zexion's face remained impassive. "Or not…it was just a thought…"

"No…I think that's a wonderful idea, Demyx." Zexion answered, blinking.

"REALLY?!" Demyx squealed and hugged the smaller boy, laughing. "YAY!"

----------------------

Sora snapped his phone shut. "Roxas?"

The blond twin mumbled something incoherent, his eyes closed and his head back, music blasting loud enough for even those outside of the headphones to hear.

"Riku's gonna come get me and I'm gonna stay over at his place. That's ok, right?"

Roxas waved a hand dismissively and rolled over. "Whatever…"

Sora knew Roxas wasn't really listening, which was probably for the best. Hey, at least he'd said yes, right? How could he argue with that?!

The brunet hopped down from his top bunk and packed a change of clothes and his toothbrush in his backpack. This was sooo cool! An overnight with his best friend!

His phone started ringing again, and Sora flipped it open before the annoying, overly happy lyrics could start up. "You here already? No…I'm all set! Cool! I'll be right out!" Sora closed his phone and shouted goodbye as he ran out the door.

------------_Later That Night_-------------

"We're headin' out, Roxas!" Demyx had pulled a sleeping Roxas' headphones off of one ear and was shouting into it.

Roxas jerked awake and scrambled around a bit, patting his chest to calm his racing heart. "For god's sake, don't scare me like that Demyx!" the blond snapped.

Demyx ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you knew me and Zexy were leaving so you didn't wake up along and wonder where everybody is."

"Oh…ok…well…see you later then…" Roxas waved farewell as Demyx dragged Zexion out of the room. He sighed. He hadn't seen nor heard from Axel all day. He checked his phone again just to be sure. Nothing. No missed calls, no new messages…maybe he should call?

Roxas thought about it, but decided not to. If Axel was just going to skip out on their date and not even say anything, then Roxas didn't want to talk to him . Why was he so crushed anyways? He didn't even like Axel.

Okay…so he did a little…oh alright, so maybe a lot…but that wasn't why he was being emo over being stood up!

I Don't Wanna Be In Love by Good Charlotte started playing, breaking the empty silence of the room and Roxas jumped. He leaned over the edge of his bed and dug around in his abandoned pants, pulling the midnight blue Razr out and flipping it open without even checking the caller ID. It was probably just Sora calling to check in or something.

"Roxas? Oh, good, you answered." Axel's voice was a surprise and Roxas actually pulled the phone away from his ear and glanced at the screen. Indeed, Axel's name and cell number were brightly lit. "Yo, Roxas, you still there?"

"Um…yeah…" Roxas cleared his throat and sat upright. "Where have you been? I thought that you might have…" he trailed off.

"Forgotten about you?" Axel laughed. "No chance in hell, babe." Roxas felt his hackles rise at being called 'babe' but he didn't speak up for some reason.

"Well…what have you been doing for the past…" Roxas checked the clock on a nearby desk. "Sixteen hours? And without clothes?"

"What gave you the idea that I was still in my boxers? Jeez, Roxas, you ARE a naughty boy." Axel playfully growled into the phone. "Not that I mind."

Roxas sighed. "It's hopeless asking you anything, isn't it?"

"Don't get mad…get glad!" Axel chuckled at his own joke that only made Roxas roll his eyes and shake his head. "Anyways, getcha cute 'lil butt out here, boy. I don't plan on waste our first date on a phone call."

Roxas literally fell out of his bed. "Oh…um…right…be right there." He cradled the phone between his cheek and his shoulder as he pulled back on his jeans. He paused. Did he really want to wear his "whatever" clothes on his first date with Axel? Roxas decided that, no, he didn't want to look average on a night that was anything but. "Give me ten minutes?"

Axel laughed again. "Getting' all prettied up for me, huh?" When Roxas didn't object, just scowled, which of course, the redhead couldn't see, Axel went on. "Okay. I'll call back in ten. But no more than that Roxas. Don't be picky." Then there was a click as Axel hung up.

Roxas ran to the closet and pulled out all his clothes. He had ten minutes to find something in his meager wardrobe that said "we're on our first date, but it's not a big deal".

After some serious picking and rejecting, Roxas glanced over to the clock. Two minutes. Fuck.

"Alright, just grab something and go." And Roxas did just that. He slipped into a pair of old jeans that were a little tight, but comfortable and a black shirt. Nothing special and he grimaced at his reflection in the mirror mounted on the inside of the closet door. His hair was a mess too.

Thirty seconds.

Roxas ran his fingers through his hair, trying to comb it out while tame and calm the natural spikes, but only managed to make his hair messier and stick out more. Oh to hell with it, Axel wouldn't mind…or would he? Shit. He hadn't been on a date in two years…

"_She's going out, to forget they were together,_

_All that time he was taking her fro granted,_

_She wants to see, if there's more,_

_Than he gave, she's looking for,"_

"SHIT!" Roxas shrieked as he ran to his phone. He flipped it open and didn't even say hello, just jumped right in. "Two more minutes, I'm begging you!"

"Ah, ah, ah, Roxas. You said ten. I gave you ten. That was the deal. Just get out here." And Axel hung up on the blonde's sputtering protests.

Roxas cursed and snapped his phone shut. Was he stalling, not because of his clothes, but because he was nervous? Entirely probable. But there was no choice. It was time. No more hiding behind the lame excuse of 'lack of attire'.

Stuffing his phone away in his back pocket, Roxas took a deep breath and walked outside. Waiting patiently on the sidewalk stood Axel, dressed casually in a pair of black jeans and a leather jacket. The only indication that he'd taken pains to dress up for their date was that he'd attempted to tie his unruly hair back.

--------------------

Axel smiled as he spotted Roxas standing nervously on the doorstep. He looked totally edible in a pair of faded blue jeans that hugged his slim legs and a black top that was a little baggy, his golden hair framing his face in a stylishly messy way. _What I wouldn't give to be able to kiss him right now…_

"So, uh, we going?" Roxas asked uncertainly.

Axel grinned and held out his hand. "I'm ready when you are."

Roxas tentatively took the offered hand and relaxed a bit as they started walking towards the parking lot. "Where are we going?"

"Dinner, of course. Then maybe a movie later. I've had all night and day to think about this, ya know." Axel smirked down at the blond who was on the verge of snuggling into his side. Silly Roxas. He hadn't brought a jacket and it was a bit chilly tonight, though it was still summer. Good thing Axel had planned ahead and brought his extra coat.

"S-sounds g-g-great." Roxas stuttered, though if it was from cold or nerves, Axel couldn't tell. "W-we w-w-walking t-t-there?"

"Nope!" Axel laughed at the stunned look on Roxas' face as the redhead led the blond over to a sleek, black motorbike.

---------------------

"W-we're g-going on t-this?!" Roxas asked incredulously, pointing.

"Well…it IS mine…" Axel said, pulling out two helmets and an extra leather jacket out of the saddlebags (those of you who've never seen these, they are the best accessory on a motorcycle! X3). "So, it only stands to reason that I'd use it."

Roxas slipped into the jacket and let Axel put the helmet on his head, sighing as he adjusted the chin strap so it wouldn't fall off.

--------------------

"You've got an amazingly small head, Roxas."

"Keep talking…see where it gets you."

"Right, shutting up now."

Axel swung on leg smoothly over the bike, sitting comfortable. He patted the seat behind him. "Well, let's get going Roxas, the night won't last forever."

------------------

Roxas swallowed hard. He'd never ridden on a motorcycle before…what if he fell off?

"You won't."

"Won't what?"

"Fall off." Axel grinned. "That's everybody's first thought. Hell, it was mine my first time riding." When Roxas still stood uncertainly next to him, Axel took his wrist and pulled the hesitating blond closer. "Come on, I promise you won't fall. Just hang on."

Roxas finally gave in and settled in behind Axel. When Axel started and revved the engine, Roxas squeaked and clamped his arms tightly around Axel's waist, making the redhead laugh.

"Relax, Roxas. Just enjoy the ride."

-------------_Later_-------------

The date so far…sucked.

First, Roxas had nearly had a heart attack on the ride to the restaurant. Axel's horrible driving skills apparently didn't stop at cars. He'd sped through every intersection, whether the light was green or red. He'd weaved in and out of traffic, and all at over eighty miles an hour.

Then, after getting to the restaurant, they'd sat down and ordered, only to start getting harassed by some nearby patrons who, ironically enough, were homophobic. And after calling Roxas and him a fag, Axel had stood and the fight had started.

Needless to say, they were kicked out of the restaurant.

Then, Axel had tried to make it up to Roxas by taking him to a movie…

…only to find that Roxas and horror movies that included water and drowning victims didn't mix well…

So now, they stood on the sidewalk, not talking, and Axel felt like the biggest lose in the world.

----------------------

Roxas sighed and took Axel's hand. So far, the night had been awful, but there was still time to make it better, right?

"There's a park over there…why don't we just walk for a while?" Roxas suggested.

Axel nodded and they crossed the street and entered the park. It was empty and dark at that time of night, so they went to the abandoned swing set and sat. They swung slowly back and forth and chatted about nothing and everything. Sharing their favorite movies and games, discussing some of the professors and classes they had and what they planned to do after graduation…or if they even would graduate.

-----------------------

"So, you wanna be a writer, Roxas?" Axel asked, watching as Roxas stared up at the clear night sky. The stars seemed to be caught and held in those heart-wrenching blue eyes of his.

"Yeah…I've been writing for as long as I can remember…and when I got into high school I became a part of the school paper. And I decided that that's what I wanted to do. So I'm studying journalism."

"That's cool." Axel said, smiling.

"What about you?" Roxas finally glanced over at Axel.

"Haven't really decided, I guess." The redhead answered honestly, gazing back. "I'm only here because Demyx and Zexion dragged my sorry ass here."

"You mean…you didn't want to come in the first place?" Roxas asked confusedly.

"Nah…but I changed my mind that afternoon we first got here." Axel smiled warmly at the blond sitting next to him. "Because I saw you and knew that it was all worth it."

Roxas blushed and looked away. He trailed his foot from side to side in the dirt, concentrating on the movement. Axel thought the light pink coloring the blonde's cheeks was endearing and too adorable for words.

"S-so…um…you wanna go back?" Roxas asked, that cute stutter returning.

-----------------------

Axel grabbed the chain on Roxas' swing and pulled him closer, bringing the blonde's surprised eyes up to him. Axel leaned in and Roxas closed his eyes, ready and waiting for a kiss…that never came.

Axel sat back, letting Roxas go. The blond opened his eyes, looking questioningly up at the redhead who just smiled back.

"Only if you want to head back now…I was hoping we could just…talk some more…I like talking to you, Roxas."

That made Roxas blush again and he ducked his head. "Um…okay." _Why didn't he kiss me? I actually _wanted_ him to hiss me this time!_

-----------------------

Axel waited for Roxas to say something, but when the blond just kept staring at his shoes and looked crushed, the redhead gave in.

"Roxas…if you want something, just ask."

------------------------

Roxas' eyes went wide. He couldn't possibly…

But he wanted…

Oh, what the hell?

He leaned over towards Axel, whispering, "I want you to kiss me, Axel."

------------------------

"Happy to oblige, Roxas." Axel cupped Roxas' cheek and closed the distance between them, pressing his lips softly against the blonde's. It lasted probably five seconds before Axel pulled away.

Roxas whimpered and yanked Axel back, making the redhead chuckle. Though the second kiss was longer, there still wasn't any tongue. It sort of irked Axel, since he wanted things to move faster, but hey, a kiss was a kiss, and Roxas had been the one to initiate it.

Which made it the best kiss Axel had ever had.

------------_Meanwhile_----------

"Damn it's late!" Asmara cursed as she finally left the campus café and walked to her car. She pulled her keys out of her coat pocket with a jungle and sighed as her Civic finally came into view. It was a piece of crap, but at least it would get her from point A to point B…most of the time.

She slid into the driver's seat and stuck the key in the ignition. It was closing on midnight and all she wanted was to go home and pass out…she'd ask about Axel and Roxas' date later. For now, all she wanted was sleep.

Asmara turned the key, but got nothing. She frowned and turned again. Again, nothing. Not even a stutter, just a pathetic little whining cough. "Ugh," Asmara slammed her head against the steering wheel multiple times. "Damn it…why did you have to die on me _tonight_?"

She angrily jumped out of her car and slammed the door shut. She walked away in a huff and thought about her options. She didn't want to walk home, seeing as her apartment was a good ten miles from campus. And she couldn't stay with the boys, since they were all out tonight.

"I guess I could take the bus…" she decided and shrugged as she started in the direction of the bust stop. She'd take the bus, go home, worry about her car, fall asleep, call the car in tomorrow, THEN ask about Axel and Roxas' date. Not too far from her original plan…just a few extra steps added.

As she walked down the empty, darkened streets, Asmara got a chill. And no, not a chill as in it was cold. But the kind of chill the heroine got in the movies just before the killer jumped out and attacked her.

She gazed around the street, trying to see what could have set off her internal danger detector. She spotted it within seconds. Just ahead of her were two large men, fighting about something or other. They were yelling and looked the type that would carry weapons, so Asmara crossed to the other side of the street, not chancing getting caught up in their little tussle.

She relaxed as she began walking again, feeling safe now. Such a false sense of safety that was…

A shot rang out and Asmara froze, feeling fire burn across the side of her neck. Something warm and wet started to slide down her chest, soaking her shirt. She slowly sank down to her knees on the sidewalk, reaching up with a shaking hand to feel warm liquid spill across her fingers. She held her hand up but couldn't see anything for how dark it was.

But of course, she knew what it was…she didn't need light to know that she'd just been hit by a stray bullet and she was bleeding out.

Asmara choked and lay back, staring blankly up at the stars. She was alone and nobody would even think of looking for her until tomorrow…and she didn't have that kind of time. She could call for help…except she didn't know where she was and Asmara didn't think she could actually speak at this point anyways.

She closed her eyes, feeling a tear slip free and trail down her temple into her hair. All she could think about were her friends and how she hoped that their lives turned out better than hers.

_Sora, I hope you realize how much Riku cares for you…and Riku…treat Sora well…_

She gasped and felt her body begin to shake, though she didn't feel cold.

_Demyx, just confess how you feel, life's too short to be timid…and Zexion…open your eyes you dummy…_

Asmara tried to laugh, but it came out as a strangled cough.

_Axel…Roxas…I hope your date went well…you two were made for each other…_

She felt her heart stutter and skip a beat and that's when the darkness closed in on her vision. Asmara closed her eyes, feeling herself fade away.

* * *

LE GASP! CHARACTER DEATH?! maybe, maybe not...I ain't tellin' yo! 

**Lahmal**: You're a horrible child...

**Ramen**: O.O OMFG!!!! (squees and glomps Lahmal) YAYS A SPECIAL GUEST!

**Kanta**: (glares at Lahmal) the hell are you doing here?

**Axel**: fuck that question...WHO the hell are you?

**Lahmal**: ... ... ...

**Ramen**: (sweatdrops) err...this can't end well...eheh...mkay, awkward moment that I must break!

Peoples, I'm sorry for ya'lls that luffs Asmara, but it had to be done. Integral to the plot...trust me! So, review and let me know what you thought. But please don't say anything about spelling or grammar errors...because then they'll bug me until I go back and fix them...and I really don't wanna...

UNTIL NEXT TIME!!!!!


	18. Candle In The Wind

Hey y'all...I don't really have much to say...but here's the next chapter...I'll post the one right after this later...I know it's short but...I couldn't add more...oh, and the chapter title is a song by Elton John...it was written about the death of Marilyn Monroe so...yeah...I was listening to it while I was writing this...

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything but the story itself...

* * *

Sora sleepily rubbed his eyes, half awake. His phone was ringing and it wouldn't stop. The brunet groaned and rolled over, bumping into and waking Riku who lay next to him on the floor.

Flipping his phone open without opening his eyes, Sora mumbled a hello.

"Is this Sora Hikari?" a professionally cool voice asked.

Sora sat up, confused. "Uh…yeah…who's this?" Riku sat up too at the look on Sora's face and gave him a questioning glance, to which the brunet shrugged.

"I'm calling about Asmara Soren." The voice went on in it's empty, emotionless tone. "She had you listed at the top of her emergency contacts list."

"E-emergency?" Sora was wide awake now. He clutched the phone in both hands, feeling his heart beginning to pound. "What happened? Is she alright?"

"Unfortunately, no Mr. Hikari."

The phone fell from Sora's suddenly numbed fingers. His heart had actually stopped beating. Sora stared wide eyed at the wall, feeling slightly sick.

--------------------

Riku swiped up the phone. "Hello? Who is this?"

"I'm an administrator here at the hospital, sir, and I'm afraid to inform you that we had a patient by the name of Asmara Soren come through here." Sora snapped out of whatever stupor he'd been in and tried to take the phone back. Riku turned it so they could both listen in on what the 'administrator' was saying.

"Is she alright?" Riku asked since Sora was still speechless. He kept chewing on his bottom lip nervously.

"She was critical when she arrived here. She was immediately MediVaced to the next town where she had more of a chance, but judging by the extent of her injury and critical condition there isn't a high expectation of survival. I'm sorry."

Sora let out a strangled cry and covered his mouth with both hands, tears sliding down his face. His body shook with restrained sobs and Riku felt his heart break at the sight.

"H-how could something like this happen?" Sora asked in a hoarse whisper. "W-why _her_? Why Asmara?"

"Sir, I truly am sorry, we'll contact you if we receive any new information."

"Thank you." Riku replied, slowly closing the phone and setting it aside. "Sora…"

Sora climbed into Riku's lap and just cried.

Riku didn't know what to do, what to say, so he just held the brunet, gently rocking him and stroking his hair.

"I'm sorry, Sora…"

Sora sniffled and wiped his face, reaching a shaky hand out for his phone. "I have to call the others." He started punching in numbers, even though everyone was in his contact list. "And I want you to take me back, Riku."

"…of course, Sora…"

-----------------------------

Demyx woke slowly, yawning wide. He was laying on something soft and warm and he was way to comfortable to move…but…wait…Demyx frowned as he tried to grope around for his blanket, only to find nothing.

He sat up and realized two things.

One: he wasn't in his bed…he was in Zexion's…

Two: he was lying ON TOP of Zexion…

Demyx blushed as he stared down into the sleeping face of his secret love. How had they…oh right…they'd stumbled back into their dorm room at three this morning and just collapsed.

Zexion shifted and blinked his eyes open, looking just as shocked as Demyx at their positions.

They both sat up and away from each other, feeling awkward.

Demyx glanced over at Zexion only to see that Zexion was staring back. Maybe this was his chance…

He leaned forward. "Zex…there's something I want to tell you…"

Zexion raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"I…I lo—'' Demyx's confession was interrupted by Zexion's phone going off. The slate-haired boy jerked back and answered the mobile. Demyx mentally beat himself over the head several times. His one chance, and he'd blown it. He shouldn't have hesitated…

"Sora, calm down, what happened?" Zexion went still. "Are you sure?" Demyx looked up at him, confused. Zexion looked like he was about to cry. "Right…see you soon…what? No…he isn't…we'll find him, Sora…alright…bye." Zexion hung up and covered his eyes with a hand.

Demyx hopped up. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Demyx…it's about Asmara…"

--------------------------

"ROXAS!" Sora wailed, shaking his sleeping brother. They'd all gathered in the room and managed to find Roxas and Axel asleep in the common room together.

The blond rolled over and groaned, wakened by the desperate cry. "Sora…what's wrong?"

Sora's blue eyes were red and puffy, filled with tears that tracked down his face. Roxas shot up, immediately at attention. "What happened? Are you hurt?" he shot Riku a dirty look, but the silver-haired boy was looking away, his expression blank.

Axel sat up and rubbed his hair, yawning. "What's the deal?"

Demyx and Zexion stood behind Sora with Riku. Everybody looked grim. Demyx and Sora crying. Roxas and Axel shared a look of confusion and worry.

"Rox…A-Asmara is…is…" Sora choked on a sob and hugged his brother tightly. "She…"

"Sora…I don't understand you." Roxas rubbed his twin's back soothingly.

Riku took up the slack and answered. "She was found early this morning. They took her to the hospital, but she was flown out due to her critical condition…" Riku closed his eyes and clenched his hands into fists. "They don't think she's going to make it."

Roxas couldn't say how he felt as everything just shut down at those words. Everybody's voices became muted, the world drifting further and further away, until there was nothing but silence.

No…Asmara die…she just _couldn't_. Someone that full of life, so optimistic about the future…someone like that couldn't die. It wasn't fair!

….but then…since when has life ever been?

Roxas gently pushed his twin off of his lap and, ignoring everyone's questioning looks, stood and left. He needed to be alone.

-------------------------------

Axel watched Roxas go, understanding. He, too, felt numbed. It was just so unexpected…and after such a nice night...

He remembered talking to Asmara just before coming to get Roxas for their date…

"_Just be yourself, you silly boy, and keep your hands to yourself for crying out loud.!" She'd smiled then and laughed. "I hope you guys have fun. I'll expect all the dirty details tomorrow, so don't forget to call, or I'll have to hurt you."_

If Axel had known that that was the last time he'd ever see her, ever hear her voice…he dropped his face into his hands.

"Did…did they say where they took her?" Axel managed to ask.

"No…" Riku answered again since everybody else seemed too stunned to speak. "They said that they'd call us if they found out anything new…but until then…" he didn't finish.

Axel sat on the couch, thinking over the past two days. Encouraging Asmara to get off early to go hang out with them. Playing Truth or Dare…

Kissing her…

She'd felt so warm…so alive…and it had seemed so right…though they were friends and just having fun…Axel recalled her soft lips under his and he realized that he'd come to think of her as his sister…they all had.

And now she was…gone?

_Fuck being a big boy…_Axel shuddered and let the tears fall, uncaring what anyone who saw would say.

Demyx, Zexion, Sora and Riku all sat next to him and they held each other, sharing in the pain and anger and sorrow of the loss of one of their own.

-----------------------------

Roxas stood next to the fountain in the campus square. The water fell in a steady rhythm, several drops flying up to slap his face, but the blond didn't so much as blink. He just stood there, unthinking, unmoving.

For some reason, with the news of Asmara…he'd started thinking of his mother.

Asmara had been like the mother he'd always wanted. Fun, loving, caring and warm. Accepting. And Roxas had secretly pretended to himself that Asmara was, in fact, his mother instead of the woman who'd birthed him. Knowing that he'd never see her again…hear her laugh or see her smile…feel the warmth of her hug…Roxas felt like he now was left to face the world alone again.

Roxas wrapped his arms around his middle and doubled over, the tears finally too strong to hold back. He sobbed miserably, each one strangled and forced out painfully. He kept pulling up a mental picture of her face, pink curls bobbing, green eyes sparkling in greeting…that smile…that voice…

"Mama…" Roxas sank to his knees, wanting to scream out the pain that was tearing him apart from the inside. His heart shattering in his chest. "Mama…" the word was whispered in an agonized voice, a desperate ring added. Roxas clutched his head; his skull felt like it was going to split in half.

Throwing his head back, Roxas screamed.

* * *

I'm sorry it' so short and sad...I cried myself while writing it...but I had to get it down...the next chapter won't be quite as bad...but it'll still be angsty...I won't stay in this rut for long, promise, but for now, this'll be the drill...so I hope y'alls are ready to get teary-eyed... 

**Everyone**: ... ... ... ... (hug Ramen)

**Ramen**: gah! we need a group hug! (hugs readers)

Review...or not...whatever...I'm really depressed now...perfect for writing right? heh...I'll post again later

------Ramen


	19. Just Reach Out, I'm Here

Okay so...this story is totally going in the opposite direction I'd originally planned...so I'm going to have to skip around, delete some previously planned scenes, and just work with what I got...and I think, actually, that this story may soon be coming to a close. Just a couple more chapters, which I promise will be WAY more happy!

Yes, this chapter is long, but it was required. So I hope you all enjoy and can forgive me...everyone else seems to have...

**Dislcaimer**: I only own this story...which seems to be upsetting people...eheh, sorry.

* * *

The days passed, and there was no word from the hospital about Asmara, leaving the boys to assume that she was dead. Officially and utterly dead. Gone. Forever. As in, never coming back.

They'd all been quite over the passing days, going through their routines, attending classes, doing their work, but they hardly spoke to one another. They did their thing and then went to sleep. They no longer stayed up. They no longer got together on Friday evenings…what was the point? Asmara wasn't there…it would be like having fun without her. Rubbing it in that she could no longer be there with them.

In fact, most of them took great pains to avoid the other. Except for Roxas and Sora, who didn't separate at all. Roxas looked at no one. Said nothing. And Sora spoke for them both, when he did speak, and tried to be somewhat cheery everyday to bring up everybody's spirits.

Axel didn't even bother to try and talk to Roxas. The blond was in a precarious state of mind. He wandered aimlessly around like a zombie, silent and with a devastated look on his face that made Axel want to hold him. Those eyes that once used to spark with frustrated anger, that once stared up at him with stars burning in their depths, were now darkened and dull. It was like…Roxas had died as well.

Fuck…they were all dying. It wasn't just Roxas. Demyx hadn't smiled once and Zexion did nothing but read all the time. He never set his book aside, never spoke, not even to comment on something. Axel himself felt like there was nothing left of him but a walking, sometimes talking, shell.

-------------_Two Weeks Later_-------------

"This is the saddest display I've ever seen," Riku announced as he looked around at the pale faces and blank stares of the five boys sprawled on their beds. "Come on you guys…there never was a call that said she was really gone…there's still hope!"

"Riku…" Sora shook his head from his perch on his bunk. Roxas lay curled up next to him, looking like he'd cried himself to sleep. "Don't…it's been hard on all of us…"

"Sora, I just can't stand to see all of you like this! I won't! NOT AGAIN!" Riku's voice became louder with each word until he was practically screaming. Everybody sat up and gave him an odd look.

"Riku…" Riku held up his hand, stopping Sora's words.

"You want to know why I have that tattoo, Sora?"

The brunet nodded warily, unsure of how they'd gotten on that subject.

Riku sighed and stared sadly around the room, meeting everyone's eyes before looking away again. "It's…a memorial…to my family…"

"Memorial?" Demyx echoed quietly, shifting to the edge of his bed, hanging his legs over.

"They're…dead." Riku said painfully. "They all died in a house fire…three years ago…I've been on my own since then." He paused, glancing up at them again. Zexion had set aside his book for the first time in weeks, Demyx was watching Riku attentively, a sad look on his face, Axel had eyes only for the sleeping Roxas, and Sora was crying again.

"I'm…sorry, Riku…"

"I know," Riku interrupted again. "I know what it feels like…to blame yourself for a loved one's death…that's what you're all doing, isn't it? You're all blaming yourselves. You're probably thinking, if you'd only let her work her whole shift on Friday, she wouldn't have had to stay late…or, if you hadn't been off having a great time on your own, maybe you could have been there…"

Nobody replied, they all just looked away.

"Look…I know what if feels like…and I can't…can't do this again…" Riku wiped away the few tears that had fallen. "She wouldn't want you all to sit here and blame yourselves…Asmara wouldn't want that you guys…"

--------------------------

Sora stroked a hand softly over his twin's head before hopping down to the floor. He hugged Riku hard and glanced around at the others. "He's right, you guys…let's stop being so sad…"

Demyx rubbed his nose on his sleeve and jumped down as well, taking Zexion's hand and leading him over to Sora and Riku. They joined in the hug and even managed to smile a little. "You're right…"

Sora stared at Axel, who didn't move or look away from Roxas. The redhead gazed up at Roxas longingly, like he wanted to be close, but knew Roxas didn't want any contact with any of them.

"Axel…come on." Sora begged.

-----------------------

Axel just shook his head at Sora's plea. "You guys can forgive and forget, that's fine…I won't hold it against you…I just…" he sighed and pulled his eyes away from Roxas, casting them down to his hands. "I just can't forgive myself yet…"

He wanted to hold Roxas…wanted to comfort him and tell him that everything was alright…but that wasn't true. Everything wasn't alright…and it wouldn't be…not for a while. And Roxas seemed to be the most devastated by Asmara. Why, Axel couldn't tell, but it was plain to see.

Roxas missed her. But then again, they all did.

Axel tiredly rubbed his eyes. "Let's just…take each day as it comes,"

Shoulders slumping a bit, everyone nodded and disbanded from the group hug.

"Alright," Riku agreed. "On one condition."

"Name it." Axel said without thinking.

"We have a Friday night get-together this week…to remember…"

Axel peeked over at Riku. He gave everyone else a glance, but saw only assenting nods and strangled agreeing, so he shrugged.

"Agreed."

-----------_Later That Week_------------

Sitting in his arithmetic class that Friday, Axel stared down at his notes and sighed. He fingered his phone in his pocket, wanting so badly to talk to Roxas. Ever since they'd told him about Riku's deal, the blond had been tense and volatile, snapping at anyone who tried to come near, even Sora.

_I can't just let go…I have to reach out to him…he needs someone…we all do…_

Axel pulled his phone out and sent a text to Roxas.

----------------------------

Staring blankly out the window at the coloring leaves outside, Roxas jumped a bit when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Who the hell was calling?

He pulled it out and checked out of habit more than anything else. Sora had been trying to talk to him, and Roxas assumed that it was his brother again. He was surprised, however, to see that it was a text from Axel.

'_Hey…how're ya doin?'_

It was such a…normal question and Roxas sank back in his chair, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease up a bit. He could text. He didn't have to talk. And he'd been thinking the past few days about talking to Axel…just Axel…but he hadn't been able to find his voice.

Roxas replied, typing the words out slowly. He wasn't that adept at texting…

--------------------------

Axel waited for a good ten minutes before he gave up on a reply. Roxas obviously wasn't ready to communicate in any way, shape or form. He reached to put his phone away, just as it hummed in his hand.

Slowly, he raised it and checked the screen.

'_Hurting…you?'_

Axel felt hope swell in his chest. Roxas was reaching out!

He quickly typed in a response and eagerly stared at his phone, waiting.

---------------------------

'_Same'_

Roxas blinked his eyes hard to keep the tears from coming back. He'd just managed to get rid of them, he didn't want all that hard work to go to waste.

Tapping a few keys, he sent his next message and relaxed even more.

---------------------------

'_I miss her…'_

Axel's throat went tight as he read Roxas' message. Poor kid…

--------------------------

'_I do too Roxas…we all do'_

Roxas gave up on holding the tears back. This time, it was a good thing though. He felt relieved that he wasn't the only one hurt. He should've reached out sooner…he couldn't hold all the pain and loss in any more.

--------------------------

Axel read Roxas' reply and nearly dropped his phone. He bent over, hiding his face in his hands as he fought back his own tears.

'_I don't want to remember…it hurts…but it hurts more to not…I don't understand…and it's slowly tearing me apart'_

--------------------------

'_If you want, we don't have to go tonight. We'll go do something. Just the two of us.'_

Roxas felt a small smile try to worm free, but it didn't quite have the strength to manifest.

-------------------------

'_I'd feel worse if I didn't go…I'll be fine. Thanks for the offer tho'_

Axel typed in his last message before closing his phone and turning it off. Class was going to be over in five minutes and he had to actually get some kind of work done, as much as he wanted to keep talking to Roxas.

------------------------

'_Any time, Roxas. Don't worry, we'll all be there. You aren't alone. Talk to you tonight. Axel out.'_

Roxas wished he could laugh. While he found Axel's parting words comforting and a bit silly, he just didn't have it in him yet to be able to smile and laugh again. But he was getting better, and he had hope for the first time in weeks.

-------------_That Night_-------------

"So…" Riku began as he gazed around the circle. Sora had opted to stay by his twin's side, leaving Riku to sit alone, which hurt, but the silver-head wasn't going to say anything. The brothers needed each other. Demyx sat close to Zexion, tapping the arm of the couch and chewing on his lip. Axel sat on the other side of Roxas. Close enough to show that he cared, but far enough away that he wasn't crowding the boy. "I think we should all go around, and tell the one thing we're going to miss most about her."

"Riku!" Sora objected as Roxas ducked his head and shivered.

"No, Sora…it has to be done. Trust me, it'll make it better."

"You aren't a counselor, Riku." Zexion pointed out blandly.

"No…but I've been to my share of them…and I know what worked for me…and I'm only trying to help." Riku defended. "I'll start." He cleared his throat. "I didn't know Asmara all that well…and I regret that I didn't use the short time I did know her better…but I do know that I'll miss the way she always welcomed newcomers with open arms."

-----------------------

Sora willed back tears. "That was nice of you to say, Riku…" when Riku turned to him, Sora smiled weakly. "I'll go next…if that's okay with you all," he turned to the others. When they all just nodded or shrugged, the brunet spoke his peace. "I'm going to miss her laugh the most…the sound of it…how it always made you want to laugh too." Sora giggled softly at the memory. "Just thinking about it makes me want to."

Everyone smiled half-heartedly and laughed a bit at Sora's reaction, making Sora's smile grow in strength. He did feel better. Remembering Asmara hurt…and it would always hurt to some extent…but at the same time, it felt good. Like she was still there…in their memories.

---------------------

Demyx sat forward and raised his hand. "I wanna go next." He set his hand down. "I'm going to miss her jokes the most…she had the best jokes…even if they were a little lame…oh! And how she got on Axel's nerves!" Demyx laughed at Axel's glare and Sora joined in.

---------------------

Zexion smirked and spoke up. "I'll go next, I suppose." Demyx wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I'm going to miss her intuition…how she always knew what we were all feeling and how she always knew how to work that to an advantage."

When he spoke nothing more, everyone turned expecting eyes over at Roxas and Axel.

--------------------

Axel nudged Roxas with his foot and nodded at the blond, saying he'd go first without words. The redhead sighed and thought for a long, hard moment.

"Well…I suppose I'm going to miss…I can't pick one thing I'm going to miss about her. I'm just going to miss everything. Her smile, her laugh, her intuition, her acceptance of others and their choices, her infuriating habit of touching my hair," he paused to chuckle at that. "But mostly, what she taught me."

"What was that?" Sora asked, leaning into Roxas' side, making the blond close his eyes and lay his head on his brother's arm.

"She taught me to stop holding back, and just follow my heart."

Roxas choked and stood. "I can't do this, I'm sorry you guys."

They all watched Roxas walk slowly, dejectedly down the hall. Axel sighed when he heard a door click shut softly. "Well…I guess this night's a bust."

---------_One Month Later_---------

Things had settled down. Everybody had come to terms with the fact that Asmara was gone and she wasn't coming back. If she'd been alive, then they would've heard from her by now, right?

And though it still hurt, they now managed to think and talk about her without choking up and feeling that sharp, stabbing pain in their hearts. Now, it was more of a sting, like the constant reminder of a previous wound that still hurt, but was healing.

Roxas spoke more, but still kept mostly to himself. Demyx had become more and more like his old self, happily going on and on about nothing and everything all the time. Zexion made an effort to speak up more to make up for all the time he'd spent sulking behind his books and Riku was around more often.

Sora, though, couldn't quite go back to normal. He was still sharing in his twin's pain. The brunet tried to keep a positive attitude and smiled and laughed with them all at lunch and in the afternoons, but he sulked and cried when he thought nobody was looking.

----------------------

"I've tried everything, but Roxas won't…" Sora paused to sniff and rub his eyes. He sat in the living room, or rather, one of the living rooms in Riku's townhouse. The afternoon sun burned brightly through the windows, lighting up the room, but the sun lent little, if any, heat. It was fall now and the leaves had long ago fallen off of the trees, littering the browning grass in bright shades of gold and red.

Riku hugged Sora close, stroking his spiky hair soothingly. "It's okay, Sora…he just needs a little more time."

They two of them had been spending more and more time together over the past month, and Sora had been confused by these odd feelings he got whenever Riku held him like this. Strong arms holding him close, those soft words reassuring him, always knowing what to say…it was odd…Riku was his friend and yet…he felt like…more.

Sora didn't know what to think about these feelings, so he usually ignored them, but Riku wasn't helping. Being so much nicer, so much gentler today than ever before.

"Sora…?" Riku asked hesitantly.

The brunet pulled back a bit to gaze up into aquamarine eyes. "Yeah, Riku?"

Riku slid his hands up Sora's sides, following the curve of his neck, cupping his face tenderly. "Sora I…" Sora felt his heart begin to race as Riku closed his eyes and leaned forward, pressing a soft, tentative kiss against his mouth.

_What do I do?_ Sora thought desperately, frozen in place. Riku seemed to be waiting for something…but what? Riku was his best friend…Sora knew you weren't supposed to do such things with your friend…weren't supposed to feel like this when your friend kissed you…

Closing his own eyes, Sora kissed Riku back, wrapping his arms around the older boy's neck.

_I don't understand what's happening to me…_Sora gasped when Riku ran his tongue across his lips, and whimpered softly when Riku slid his tongue into his mouth. Still, Sora didn't pull away. He didn't want to…he didn't want this strange, dizzying feeling to stop…ever.

_I don't understand…but Riku's here…so I don't have to be afraid…_

--------------_Meanwhile_--------------

Demyx strummed his sitar lazily, lounging with Zexion in the empty music room. They'd just been hanging out all day, and Demyx couldn't help but keep thinking back to how close he'd come to telling Zexion how he felt about him almost two months ago.

He wanted to try again. It was the perfect time. They were alone, they had been all day. There wasn't any chance of interruptions…he could just turn and look over at Zexion and say, _"Zexion, I love you. I always have."_

Except he couldn't. Every time Demyx turned his head and opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out. Zexion would give him a strange, questioning look, Demyx would blush and turn away and that would be the entire incident…until he tried again with the same results.

"Demyx," Zexion sighed, setting his homework aside. "If there's something you want to say, then say it already."

Demyx's face heated up again and he fiddled with the neck of his sitar, refusing to look Zexion in the eye.

"I…I just…wanted to…" he swallowed nervously. Asmara always told him to get over his cowardice. She always told him to not be timid in ways of the heart, because life was too short to waste on waiting…how true her words were…

"Well?" Zexion prompted, looking impatient.

Demyx took a deep breath. "I…wanted to play a song I wrote for you, Zexion. Will you listen?"

--------------------

Zexion raised an eyebrow. Demyx had been acting odd all day, giving him weird looks and shifting about nervously. Whatever Demyx had on his mind was bothering him, and Zexion wanted him to just get it off of his chest so they could go back to just sitting together in peace.

When Demyx pulled out some notebook paper with scribbled words written all over it, Zexion sat upright and crossed his arms.

"Sure, Demyx. I'll listen." He couldn't quite put his finger on how he felt about Demyx writing a song for him. But he wasn't going to say anything. It was almost…sweet.

Demyx set the pages on a music stand and pulled his sitar back into his lap. He strummed a few cords before inhaling deeply. He began to play a soft, almost mournful melody. Zexion felt his heart clench when Demyx's clear, pure voice began to sing.

"_My chest is tight, my throat is dry,  
Tears fill my eyes, but I'll never cry._

_My thoughts are only of you,_

_And those thoughts are of love._

_My love for you rings true, _

_But you don't see it like I do."_

Demyx closed his eyes as the song slowed and lulled as he sang the chorus.

"_I reach my arms, seeking your touch,_

_You see my desperation, but you don't care much,_

_Never something more than me,_

_To you, I'm just a friend,_

_Oh, please can't you see, to me,_

_You are everything."_

Zexion opened his mouth to say something, but closed it instantly. He didn't want to interrupt the song…

"_Where are you now my dear?_

_Even though I miss you,_

_I refuse to shed a tear._

_If I do, you'll see me as weak,_

_What will it take to make you mine?_

_Certainly not being meek."_

The melody slowed again, signaling a return of the chorus, and Demyx sang on, his voice mirroring the sorrow of the music and the lyrics.

"_I reach my arms, seeking your touch,_

_You see my desperation, but you don't care much,_

_Never something more than me,_

_To you, I'm just a friend,_

_Oh, please can't you see, to me, _

_You are everything."_

The song took on a deeper, darker tone and the tempo increased slightly.

"_Why, oh, why can't I be with you?_

_Why, oh, why can't you see, _

_This unwitting rejection is tearing me in two?_

_Hear my song, and know that it is my heart,_

_Please don't ever say "so long",_

_Please don't keep up apart._

_Know that I truly love you,_

_Despite what you think,_

_Even though you may say so,_

_I know you don't mean it the way I do."_

Demyx paused in his playing, opening his eyes and staring straight at Zexion as he finished his song.

"_And so…_

_I reach my arms, seeking your touch,_

_You see my desperation, but you don't care much,_

_Never more than me, _

_To you, I'm just a friend,_

_Oh, please can't you see, to me,_

_You are everything._

_My everything."_

Demyx set his sitar aside and covered his face with his hands, crying quietly.

Zexion sat stiffly in his chair, stunned. He hadn't had a clue…how could he have been so blind? He leaned forward, pulling Demyx's hands away. The musician kept his eyes tightly shut, but he didn't need them for what Zexion had planned.

He kissed him.

-------------------------

Demyx's eyes shot open as he felt Zexion's mouth on his own. This was too good to be true. He had to be dreaming…there was no way Zexion was kissing him. There was no way he'd gotten up the courage to confess his feelings…yet it was happening.

He slid his fingers through Zexion's hair, holding him close. Demyx closed his eyes again and sobbed in happiness, kissing Zexion back almost desperately. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought something like this would happen. But it was…it was real.

Zexion pulled away, resting his forehead against Demyx's. "I'm sorry."

"F-for what?" _please don't say you're sorry for kissing me…_

"For hurting you."

Demyx blinked away a fresh wave of tears and kissed Zexion again. "Don't," he whispered against his lips. "It's okay now."

And it was. It was okay.

* * *

There! See? Things are getting better! And the pairings are emerging! YAYS! 

Like I said in the beginning of the chapter, this story has taken on a life of its own and I'm just gonna go with it. Which has shortened what I'd originally planned in length and I had to cut some other sad scenes, but I don't think you all mind too much, huh? Lol. Anyways, Demyx's song is actually a love song I wrote for someone...yeah...unfortunately for me, I didn't get the same happy results as Demy, lol, but anyhow, the song is mine...guess I should've put it in the dislcaimer, but I didn't want to give anything away.

**Kanta**: shut up already and keep working...you're on a role girly, and I don't want you to lose the drive while you've got it

**Ramen**: zomg! You're right! I might actually finish this story before the end of today if I keep going at this pace! ...wouldn't that just make all you readers squee in happiness?!

**Roxas**: Review please!

**Ramen**: o.O' ...dude...

**Roxas**: what?

**Ramen**: I didn't think you'd voluntarily say that is all.

**Roxas**: eh, I felt like it. Here (gives Ramen a banana)

**Ramen**: OH YAYS! (pouts when Kanta takes the banana away) AWWW!!!

**Kanta**: these make you sick, Ramen, remember? (glares at Roxas' evil smile)

**Ramen**: (gasps and points) ROXAS! YOU EVIL BOY!

**Demyx**: (watches as Ramen chases Roxas with her crowbar) um...yeah...next chapter coming soon!


	20. Playing With Fire

I'm skipping around again because I really wanna get this story done and over with...ya'll will love the ending, I just know it! lol, the happy tones are staring to come back into play, and I also realized how much I've been neglecting the AkuRoku...so this one's dedicated to them completely! WEEEE! AKUROKU FANSERVICE!

There are going to be maybe two, possibly three more chapters and maybe an epilogue, but I've gots one more surprise for you all, so just you wait! XP

**Disclaimer**: Me no own...got it memorized?

**Axel**: hey! that's MY line... (frowns)

**Ramen**: get over it...this chappie is all about you and Roxas being all lovey-dovey anyways, so you should be thanking me!

**Axel**: (smiles and hugs Roxas) YAY! Isn't that great, Roxy?!

**Roxas**: ACK! NO! LET GO! CURSE YOU RAMEN!

**Ramen**: no need to thank me boys! read on and enjoy the fanservice!

* * *

Roxas was missing.

Axel sighed in aggravation. He was getting desperate.

_I've looked everywhere twice, and once more for good measure._ He thought as he ducked into each classroom he passed on his way to his three o'clock lecture. _And why am I the only one who seems to care?_

The others, who were getting all lovey-dovey with each other, which didn't help Axel in the slightest, had asked the typical question of the blonde's whereabouts with the concern of a friend, but they were all too busy with their own unfolding romances, Sora's with Riku and Demyx's with Zexion, to be bothered by the prolonged absence.

It was really starting to piss off the already volatile redhead.

"_He's probably just busy with other stuff,"_ Demyx had offered.

If that was true, then why didn't he come back to their room at night? Or answer his phone?

"_He needs some alone time, obviously,"_ Zexion had quietly intoned.

Axel was fine with that…he just wanted to make sure Roxas was safe. The blond had been gone for three days now, without any warning or contact.

And everyone was acting like love-sick puppies and completely ignoring the gravity of the situation. Even Sora…

_Sora…_ Axel stopped in his tracks at the name. _Sora has been the least worried about Roxas of them all…does that mean Sora knows where his brother is?_

Axel dropped his books to the floor, rooting through his pockets. He smiled sadly, pausing as he stared at his phone. The black case gleamed in the dull light, the flames crawling up the slim sides. He remembered when they'd all gone out and bought the phones together.

"_This way, we'll all always be only a phone call away…_" Asmara's voice echoed in the redhead's mind, making him sigh again.

He roughly rubbed away the sudden tears that pricked his eyes. He flipped open the phone and scrolled through his contacts list.

At the top of the list…Asmara.

Even though she'd been gone for months now, Axel couldn't bring himself to delete the useless number. It would be, like, forgetting about her.

"Keep it together, Axel," he told himself, scrolling down until he came to Sora. His chest grew tight at the name under Sora's. Axel had tried time and again to call the blond, all to no avail.

What if Roxas was gone too?

"Don't think like that, Axel." He said to himself again. He pressed the call button, trying to stay calm by spelling. An odd habit of his since he'd been young. "A-X-E-L…" it rang once. Twice. "R-O-X-A-S…" three times.

On the fourth ring, Axel sighed and pulled the phone away from his ear, ready to hang up.

"Hello?" the breathless voice shouted.

Axel brought the phone back up. "Sora?"

"Hey," the brunet giggled like a schoolgirl. "Sorry, but I had to find my phone since…"

"I really don't wanna know, buddy," Axel interrupted. "But I need to talk to you…it's about Roxas."

Sora sighed. "Axel…"

"I just have to know where he is, Sora. I just have to know that he's okay." Silence answered his plea. "Please, Sora."

"Axel…he'll come back when he's ready…you just don't understand—''

"Then help me understand!" Axel yelled, losing it.

Again, silence was his reply.

"I don't know where he is, Axel." Sora finally said.

Axel closed his eyes and tried not to scream. Sora had been his only hope. If _Sora_ didn't know where Roxas was, no one did. "Thanks for nothing, Sora." He said bitterly.

"Wait!" Axel paused. "I don't know exactly where my brother is…but I can tell you where he _might_ be…"

----------_Later_---------

A cold breeze bit through his thin sweater, but Axel didn't care. As soon as Sora had told him where Roxas _might_ be, he'd hung up and run for his bike, not even bothering to put on his helmet or jacket.

As the park came into view, Axel slowed down, eventually ditching his bike behind a bush. Jogging his way up the small hill, Axel could still hear Sora's cheery voice in his head.

"_Roxas has only left the campus twice since we've come here. To the beach that one time with Asmara, and when you guys went on your date. He doesn't like being lost, so if he isn't at the school, then he's gotta be at one of those places. It's all he knows."_

He'd already tried the beach, so the only place left to search was the park that he and Roxas had spent a majority of their botched date in. Axel paused as he spotted the slim figure sitting alone on the same swings they'd sat on that night.

"Hey, found ya," he said softly, sitting in the empty swing next to Roxas. The blond didn't reply, but stared at the ground blankly, his hair damp from the rain that had fallen earlier, giving Axel a general idea of how long Roxas had been sitting out here.

Axel pushed against the ground with his feet, setting his swing in motion. The chains rattled and creaked, the only sound in the entire world it seemed. The park, the surrounding streets, all was empty, deserted. Only the two of them and the sunset seemed to remain.

"Sora gave me the idea to check here, can't believe I didn't think of it myself," Axel laughed, trying to break the silence.

Still no reply. Axel sighed and stared off into the horizon, brightly colored in splashes of red and orange. But even as he watched, the colors faded to a soft pink, the stars blinking on like night lights, one by one.

"Thanks." Roxas said quietly.

Grateful to hear him speak, Axel smiled at Roxas. "For what?"

Roxas finally looked up and smiled back. "For finding me."

"You're welcome Roxas. I'll always come looking for you, remember that.'

---------------------------

Roxas laughed for the first time in days and started to swing like Axel. He felt better now that he wasn't by himself, but he couldn't stay around the others. They were all getting together, being happy and dating. Being all cuddly and stuff…and Axel hadn't so much as asked Roxas on another date. It made him feel…left out. Forgotten. And it hurt and confused the blond.

"I just had to get away from all the…you know…love." Roxas scrunched up his nose and pretended to look disgusted. "It was starting to disturb me…especially with Sora and Riku…god I hate that guy…"

Axel laughed, making Roxas' heart feel even lighter. "I can tell."

Roxas sighed, swinging higher. "I've been sneaking into the common room to sleep, you know…it's too cold to sleep out here."

Axel matched his swinging speed with Roxas. "Why have you been staying out here anyways? You've been skipping classes." Axel stopped his swing suddenly. "I was worried about you, Roxas."

Roxas dragged his feet in the ground, slowing his swing. "You were…worried?"

"Of course I was! You've been gone for three days!"

"Oh…well, sorry for worrying you."

Axel leaned close. "Why are you really out here, Roxas?"

"Why haven't you asked me out again?" Roxas blurted out, stunning the redhead who blinked.

"Well…I would have…if you've been around." Axel's teasing grin made Roxas' heart race, even as it made his blood boil.

"This isn't a game!"

Axel grabbed the chain on his swing and dragged Roxas close to him, making the blond gasp. "Who said it was?" he brushed his lips across Roxas'. "I'm quite serious about you."

Roxas jumped out of his swing and climbed onto Axel's lap, kissing the redhead hard and deeply. He pulled back, panting. "Good…because I'm serious about you too."

--------------_Two Months Later_--------------

Roxas couldn't have been happier…except maybe if Riku were to suddenly drop dead…but that wasn't the point. He had an amazing boyfriend, his friends were still fun to hang around with, and they'd decided to pick back up the tradition of a Friday night get-together.

Right now, though, none of that was important. Right now, he and Axel were alone in their dorm room, the others out doing their own thing for the night. And the last thing on his mind was what Riku might be doing to his little brother, or what might happen if somebody might suddenly pop in and catch them.

After all, how could you think about things like that when you had a super hot redhead on top of you and his tongue in your mouth?

The quiet dark of the near empty room was broken by the soft sound of their heavy breathing, the occasional gasp joined in with the rasping breaths, accompanied by a few groans. All that mattered at this moment was that they were alone and could finally act on the feelings they'd been holding back for so long.

----------------------

Axel lowered his head, pressing a kiss onto Roxas' lips. He'd intended for it to be short and sweet, but became caught in the softness of his boyfriend's mouth, the silkiness of his tongue. He pressed harder, stroking his own tongue slowly, deliberately across those pouty lips.

Roxas whimpered softly, reaching up to wrap his arms around Axel's neck, his fingers burying themselves deep into the redhead's fiery hair. He willingly opened his mouth, their tongues meeting in a sweet rush. The younger blond shifted restlessly under Axel's larger, wiry frame.

_It's so damn hot in here…_

"Roxas…" Axel whispered the name, breaking their passionate kiss to do so. He trailed small, nibbling kisses down Roxas' neck, pausing to nip the satin soft skin. The blond jumped a bit, releasing a long, throaty moan. Axel lingered over the spot, lightly flicking his tongue back and forth over the bite mark he'd left.

-----------------------

Gasping, Roxas felt a fresh wave of heat wash over his entire body as Axel slid his slim hands up his sides, under his shirt. The material bunched up around his chest, leaving his stomach bared. Axel sat up slightly, long enough to pull off his own shirt before laying his body flush against Roxas.

The blonde's breath caught at the sensation of skin touching skin. No…not just any skin. _Axel. Axel's skin. Got it memorized?_ If Roxas didn't know any better , he'd say that Axel was in his head just then.

Said redhead let loose a soft, growling purr as he maneuvered his body down Roxas', stopping to gently scrape his teeth along the boy's stomach. Axel smiled against his skin and the temperature in the room shot up another ten degrees as Axel continued on his journey south.

Heart racing, Roxas tossed his head a few times, fighting back the urge to push Axel away and run. He wasn't too familiar with the situation, and though he enjoyed it…_a lot_…he still couldn't squelch his apprehension. "Axel," he half sighed, half sobbed his boyfriend's name, garnering the redhead's attention immediately.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the attention Roxas was hoping for.

"Be patient, Roxas," Axel purred, running a hand seductively up the blonde's leg, stopping on his thigh. "I've been waiting for this for a while now…I'm not about to rush our first time."

Axel sat up again, straddling Roxas' hips. He ran his hands back up the younger boy's torso, his long, slender fingers slipping underneath the bunched up material of Roxas' shirt.

Roxas turned his face away as Axel leaned in for another kiss. The rejection didn't sway the redhead, however, and Axel opted to, instead, start nibbling on the other side of Roxas' neck.

Managing to compose himself long enough to think straight, Roxas brought his hands up to Axel's shoulders, giving the redhead a gentle shove. "Axel…stop," he pleaded, unable to hold off his fear any more.

When Axel continued, ignoring Roxas' pleas, the blond grew panicky. He writhed under the larger body, trying to break free of the firm hold Axel seemed to have on him. It wasn't physical, but something much deeper.

----------------------------

Axel finally regained his senses long enough to notice Roxas' struggles. At first, he tried to calm the blond, lifting most of his weight off of him and nuzzling his face. When that seemed to placate Roxas some, Axel decided to resume their heavy make-out session. He leaned in and kissed Roxas again. He knew that he'd never get enough of kissing Roxas. It was the sweetest thing, to taste those silken lips, to feel the delicious, wet rush of that tongue meeting his.

Roxas whimpered into the kiss, seemingly submitting. Axel took that as a good thing, lying on him once more. He took it a step further, grinding his hips into Roxas.

"Ah," the blonde's mouth opened with the muffled cry. Roxas' hips lifted of their own accord to connect with Axel's. The two began to grind into each other, harder with each passing moment, their mouths welded together. They broke apart for a minute, panting and gasping for the air they'd neglected themselves of.

Axel bent his head, pressing his lops softly against Roxas' throat. He could hardly breathe the heated air around them. He rested his flushed face on his boyfriend's hot skin, slick with sweat.

The redhead placed his forehead against Roxas', his eyes closed as he savored the moment. Just being with Roxas was like a miracle to him. A gift. Something he wouldn't trade the world for.

But he wanted more.

-------------------------

Roxas' eyes opened half-way so he could look up at the face only a mere inch from his own. _Axel…_ Roxas wanted to object again, but he was just as caught in the moment as Axel was, and he couldn't bear to make him stop.

Murmuring something intelligible, Axel slowly ran his hand down Roxas' side, inching his way until he rested his palm possessively on the blonde's hip. Inhaling a shaky breath, Axel moved his hand a few inches further down, cupping Roxas' privates.

Gasping in surprise, Roxas' eyes shot wide open. He turned his face away once more, biting his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Although it didn't seem possible, his face heated up even more, turning a deep red.

Squeezing his eyes shut brutally, Roxas cried softly in distress, trying to pull himself out from under Axel and away from that hand.

------------------------

Axel noticed and, without moving his body or his hand, he glanced up worriedly at Roxas. "What's wrong?"

"Stop." The blond sobbed quietly, a single tear slipping free and traveling down his face.

More concerned than ever, Axel removed his hand, pushing himself up so he hovered over Roxas on his hands and knees. He leaned in close, whispering, "Don't cry, Roxas…please…don't cry." Axel tenderly kissed away that single tear, wishing like hell that Roxas would look at him. Instead, he kept his face to the side, his eyes clenched shut.

Axel brushed aside golden hair. "Tell me, Roxas." He begged. "If you don't tell me what I did wrong, how am I supposed to fix it, huh?" he kept his voice low and light in tone.

"It…it isn't you," Roxas finally stammered out. His cerulean blue eyes opened finally, but their gaze remained steadfastly trained on the far wall. "It's…me."

Confused, Axel shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with you, Roxas." He leaned down, running his tongue across Roxas' ear, only to have the blond stiffen and shove him hard.

"Get off of me." He demanded heatedly.

"Roxas—''

"I said get off of me!" another vicious shove.

Axel grabbed Roxas' wrists, pinning them above the blonde's head. He lowered his head again, staring directly into those wide, blue eyes. Eyes that haunted him every waking moment. Eyes that he saw in his dreams. Those fathomless eyes that never lied, even when the words that came from that delicious mouth did. "No."

---------------------------

"Please…" Roxas sobbed. Things were moving too fast. He'd thought he was ready, but he wasn't. He wasn't ready for this. Not yet.

Adjusting his grip so he held both of Roxas' wrists immobile with one hand, Axel used his free one to stroke his face gently. "Roxas…"

Roxas shook his head. "It's too soon…"

Forcing Roxas to face him, Axel stared hard down at him. "Roxas…I love you." Axel said starkly, his eyes never wavering.

Roxas felt his heart skip a beat, believing for a moment. But then he closed his eyes. "No, you don't. You can't." he whispered. This was so not how he'd planned today going…

---------------------------

"Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me what I can or can't feel?" Axel demanded, suddenly angry and hurt. His grip tightened and Roxas winced at the pressure, but said nothing, and refused to look back up at the redhead.

Silence, tense and bitter, stretched between the two boys, turning the previously humid air icy.

"Please…get off of me, Axel." Roxas asked once more, still not opening his eyes.

Axel stared hard at the blond for several minutes…or maybe it was only a few seconds…before finally conceding. "Fine." He sat up, releasing Roxas. He sat for a moment on the edge of the bed, then stood and walked out of the room.

---------------------------

Roxas flinched as the door closed behind Axel. It hadn't been slammed, but the gentle click was more terrifying to him than any bang could have been. He shivered and remembered that the blankets were tossed to the floor and his shirt was still bunched up high on his chest.

He modestly pushed it down, ignoring how his throat was achingly dry and his jaw was sore, how both sides of his neck were throbbing. He felt a heavy weight settle in his chest and he held up a hand, watching dispassionately as it shook. He wasn't familiar with sexual situations, whereas Axel obviously was. Had his inexperience and apprehension driven Axel away?

Roxas stood, making the bed and preparing to just leave when the door slowly opened. He froze and turned to glance hopefully over his shoulder, seeing the slightly darker hall through the barely cracked open door. A shadowy figure leaned in, and Axel's voice broke through the darkness.

"Rox?" he called softly. "You still there?"

Swallowing nervously, his heart beginning to race again, Roxas nodded, knowing Axel's question wasn't just asking if he were still in the room. Clearing his throat, Roxas answered honestly.

"Yeah…I'm still here."

---------------------------

Axel pushed open the door and walked back into the room then. He quietly shut the door, leaning against it as he stared that the slight silhouette of Roxas standing next to his bed. He tried to breathe slowly to calm his pounding heart, but to no avail. He was just grateful that Roxas had understood his question.

Even more so for the answer.

"I'm sorry." Axel coughed into his fist. "I'm sorry for not…listening to you."

Silence. Then finally, "It's alright…"

Axel went up to Roxas and gently stroked his face. "You sure? I'll go if you want me to…"

Roxas grabbed Axel's hands, holding them against his skin. "No…stay."

Axel smiled and led Roxas back down to the bed, curling up behind the blond and wrapping his arms around Roxas' waist. "I really am sorry for not listening…I just got carried away. I'll wait for you Roxas. You're totally worth it." He added the last with a smile.

---------------------------

Roxas relaxed in Axel's arms, feeling better now that things were good between them now. He still felt nervous about the future…but he believed Axel when he said that they'd wait. That was all Roxas really needed. Just a little more time. To get used to them being together.

He snuggled down, sleepy from the emotional trauma and the warm human blanket draped over him. Just as he felt himself slipping off into sleep, he heard Axel whisper one more thing to him softly.

"I really do love you…you just aren't ready to accept it yet…but I'll wait for that too." he chuckled a bit, then sighed.

As it grew quiet between them again, and Axel's breathing became deep and even, Roxas smiled to himself in the darkness.

_Maybe I'm more ready than you think, Axel Utada…_

_

* * *

_OOOO, I thought things was gonna go all the way there...btw...I giggled like a silly litte girl while I wrote that make out scene! XD But, even though I'm skipping around, I tried to keep things in line and on the basis of reality.

AGAIN I REMIND YOU ALL: there are two, possibly three chapters left of this story plus an epilogue...so prepare for the finale...it'll be epic and one you never saw coming!

**Kanta**: just shut up and end the chapter so you can finish writing the rest of it.

**Ramen**: okay okay...but just so you all know, I won't post anything else tonight...you'll all just have to wait until tomorrow to get the last of the story. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN (voice echoes into silence)

**Zexion**: ... ... ... ...nice

**Ramen**: THANKS! X3


	21. Say What?

... ... ... ... ... (crickets begin to chirp)

**Roxas**: Where the hell is she?

**Kanta**: she had to go treat herself to a good cry from the death of our near and dear Judiro...o.O oh good lord! (points as Ramen stumbles into the room)

**Ramen**: uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhnnnnnn...(walks like a zombie and hands Kanta a peice of paper) ...nnnnuuuuuuuuuu...(chews on Kanta's shirt while he reads)

**Kanta**: ahem...it says, "Dearest Readers, I have a very important announcement to make, so listen good! I know I've stressed that there would only be, at most, three more chapters in this story before it was finished. However, because I stayed up all night last night to write the ending, it sucks. So I am now in the process of rewriting it...great news for you all! The story is going to continue for at least six more chapters! YAYS!" ...wait...she stayed up all night? (pokes Ramen in the head) no wonder she's like this...if she doesn't sleep, she reverts to her baser zombie form...

**Roxas**: she has a zombie form?!

**Ramen**: GGGRRRAAAAWWWWRRRR (chomps on Roxas' arm)

**Roxas**: AAAAHHHH! GET HER OFF ME! GET HER OFF ME!!! RAMEN, LET GO!

**Kanta**: weren't you listening? that isn't Ramen! that's her zombie form, Toast! (glares) read the chapter, it's actually fun again. Oh, would you stop crying? it isn't that bad...(walks after a fleeing Roxas and a chasing Toast)

* * *

"RIIIIIIKUUUUUU!" Sora called as he ran through the large townhouse, searching for his boyfriend. "HEY! RIKU?!" the brunet sprinted up the stairs and checked all the bedrooms. Empty. He shot back down the stairs and rechecked the three living rooms, the sitting room, which he liked to just call the game room, since it had all the games in it, and the restaurant sized kitchen, along with all seven bathrooms. Three stories, and an innumerable amount of rooms, and no Riku. 

Sora huffed and plopped down on the overstuffed couch in the main living room. The windows in this room were actually just the sliding glass door with remote controlled curtains. They were pulled back at the moment, showing off the bare-limbed trees and the cloudless sky. How deceptive it looked, for outside, it was cold enough to make a man's…yeesh, he really needed to stop watching late night television…it was making him think dirty...or was that Riku's doing? Sora giggled.

"Sora?" Riku walked into the room wearing a large black overcoat and a dark blue scarf. "What's wrong?"

Sora jumped up and tackled Riku to the floor. "RI-KU!" he whined, pouting at the silver-haired boy. "I've been looking for you, you big dummy head!"

Riku raised an eyebrow at the name and sat up. "If you remember, Sora, I told you I had to go out for a while several times earlier."

"Oh…right…I forgot…anyways!" Sora bounced in Riku's lap, making the older boy's face flush red. "Riku! I need your help with my art final! We have to do a painting that reflects our 'inner soul'," Sora used hand quotes as he said those two words, rolling his large, blue eyes. "Whatever that means. I don't get it, that's why you have to help!"

------------------------------------

Riku grinned as a thought occurred to him. Something his mother had taught him when he'd been going through his 'coloring on the walls' stage of childhood. He stood, pulling Sora with him into the sitting room.

"Alright, I'll help you, sunshine…but you gotta wait here, okay?" Sora nodded eagerly and even covered his eyes, giggling. "You don't have to do that…" when the brunet just smiled that goofy smile of his and starting bouncing again, Riku gave up. "Okay, be right back."

Sora was going to love this…

-------------------------------------

A good hour and a half later, Riku finally came back and Sora sighed with relief, pouncing on his boyfriend. "What took you so long?" he pouted as was his way.

"Sorry, took longer than I thought it would." Riku smirked. "You'll love this, Sora. Hop on." Riku offered his back and Sora squealed in joy, happily jumping up. Riku carried the bubbly brunet out of the sitting room and down the hall, out the back door, which Sora whined about the cold for the brief time they were out there, and into the greenhouse.

Sora blinked several times as Riku set him back on his feet. Hanging against the back wall of the greenhouse was a large, paper canvas. Tied to it were dozens of multi-colored balloons that hung heavily towards the top.

"Here, you'll want to put this on." Riku helped Sora into a large, white coat that looked like it had already been stained by brightly colored paints. Riku pulled one on himself and opened a case sitting on one of the shelves. "My mom showed me how to do this."

When he turned back around, Sora frowned in question at the throwing darts Riku held. "What are we supposed to do? Throw darts at the balloons?"

"Exactly," Sora blinked. "Those balloons are filled with paint, Sora. Pop one of those babies, and paint goes EVERYWHERE." Riku smiled and hugged Sora. "I think that matches your 'inner soul' pretty well, don't you agree?"

Eyes wide and bright as stars, Sora took a handful of darts and he and Riku spent the next two hours popping balloons and making a mess out of the room and themselves…along with a rather fetching picture of a swirl of happy colors, like sky blues, girly pinks, grass greens and even some bright purples, oranges and yellows.

----------------------_Meanwhile_----------------------

"Hey, Zexy?" Demyx asked as he rolled to his stomach. The musician gazed up at Zexion under his book from where he lay between Zexion's legs, and no, not _there_ you sick people.

Zexion lifted his book and quirked an eyebrow at Demyx. "Yes?" they had been lounging outside, though it was freaking cold out, for close to three hours now. Neither had complained however, they were just happy to spend time together.

"I was thinkin'…what if Asmara wasn't really dead?" Zexion actually closed his book and set it aside.

"Demyx…what do you mean? Of course she's dead."

"But really, when you think about it…we never got a call, and we never even bothered to ask around to find her…what kind of friends are we? What if she's been here the whole time, and we never knew about it?"

"Demyx," Zexion calmly explained. "That would be neglectful of the system to not inform those listed under emergency contact of a change in a patient's whereabouts and well being. It just isn't done. If something had happened, we would have been told."

"Exactly, Zexy!" Demyx shouted in triumph, sitting up and leaning close to Zexion's face. "If she'd died, they would have told us, right? Didn't they say that they would? That's what Riku told us."

Zexion frowned. "I suppose so…but Demyx, why _now_ of all times to bring this up? It's been, what, four, five months? If this bothers you so much, then why haven't you brought it up sooner? Done something about it?"

"I did, Zexy! Well…I tried anyways…I went to all the hospitals around here and none of them have her on file! It's like she doesn't exist!" Demyx's eyes filled with tears. "Why wouldn't she be on record? Where is she? What if she isn't dead?!"

Zexion gently pulled Demyx into a hug. "Demyx…this is all speculation. And, though it is strange that her files aren't on record, when clearly she was at one of the hospitals close by, there isn't much more that can be done."

"B-but…"

"Hush, now." Zexion stroked his hair and rocked Demyx slowly. "I think you're just missing her."

Demyx sighed in defeat. Zexion wasn't listening. They'd completely erased Asmara! Hospitals couldn't do that! They just couldn't! It was illegal, Zexy had to know that! But…Zexion had a point…there wasn't too much more he could do. He'd already tried everything that was within his power…maybe he could convince Riku to bribe somebody or something…he just couldn't take not knowing exactly what happened to Asmara.

"Guess you're right," he said aloud. "I miss her…and I've just been sitting here, doing nothing but thinking about the good ole days."

"Oh…so your present ones aren't satisfying enough that you must think about the 'good ole' ones?" Zexion asked quietly, running a hand down Demyx's back, making him shiver. "Mmm…I'm going to have to do something about that…"

Demyx moaned and leaned down just as Zexion leaned in. They met in the middle, kissing and holding each other, making out when it was only thirty degrees outside. Crazy kids they were…

-------------------------_Later_----------------------

"Roxas?"

Roxas craned his neck to the side to glance behind him to look up at Axel. They were sitting in the common room with a few other students, just hanging out and being together. The students they shared the dorm building with had been amazingly open-minded and said nothing about the sudden influx of gay couples living with them. It was nice to be around people like that for a change…

"What?" Roxas frowned when Axel handed him an envelope that the redhead retrieved from his pocket. "You've been holding this for how long now?"

"Not _that_ long, Roxy." Axel frowned right back, ignoring Roxas' glared at the nickname. "I just picked it up on my way over here and forgot about it." He leaned down and laughed. "You do tend to have that effect on me."

Roxas playfully shoved Axel away and opened the letter. "Oh…it's just a bank statement."

"And what would you be doing with a bank account?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "It's for Sora, you idiot." He quickly read over the information and folded the paper back up, slipping it into his own pocket. "Our parents wire money into Sora's account every month, and since Sora's just as big an idiot as you are, I keep track of it for him."

Axel growled. "Two problems with what you just said. One, I find the comment on my intelligence being compared to Sora's offensive. And two, I can't believe your parents."

"Axel, they count me out of every thing. According to my parents, I don't even exist. They ceased caring the second I was born, and stopped complaining about me after mommy dearest tried to get rid of me via drowning since it upset Sora so much. They never wanted kids, and they got stuck with two. And you know how Sora is with people…they all just love him." Axel stayed quiet as Roxas rambled on. "I guess I'm just not as cute and cuddly, but I really don't mind." That was the biggest lie of the century. "Though to be honest, I don't want their attention." That, at least, was the truth. Sort of.

----------------------------------

The redhead bounced his blond boyfriend on his knee as he thought, making Roxas gripe about being treated like a child, though he didn't complain otherwise. "I don't like them, Roxas. But if that's the way it is, then that's the way it is….besides," Axel grinned and suddenly tossed Roxas onto his back, falling upon the unsuspecting blond like a starving man on a feast. "You are to cute and cuddly."

"Axel…what if someone sees?" Roxas asked, trying to fend off the relentless redhead.

"Aw, c'mon, Roxy, give me _some_ credit…I _do_ listen sometimes…I know you don't like PDAs…and if you'd take your eyes off of my sexy body, which I know is hard, then you'd see that we are, in fact, alone." Everybody had left the room, shouting something about a pre-game party. What game you ask? Who the fuck cared?

Roxas relaxed finally and let Axel kiss him. Of course, for Axel, one kiss was never enough and one turned into three, then four, and soon they two were well into another random make out session.

Just as they were starting to really get into it, the front door flew open and a loud, cheery call startled both boys.

"HELLOOOOOOO?! OHMYGOD! GAY BOYS!"

------------------------------

Shocked by the cry, Roxas accidentally bit Axel's tongue, making the redhead jerk upright with a foul curse. Roxas rubbed his boyfriend's arm in apology, turning his attention to the girl standing in the doorway.

She was rather short, but not too short. About average height. Flat as a board and skinny as an anorexic model (oxymoron? lol). Her hair, done in a cute pixie cut that framed her face, was bleached (poorly) and shone the color of corn silk (cool color actually). The ends were cut in a jagged, zigzag pattern; the tips dyed a deep blue that brought out the vivid teal of her eyes. She wore an oversized man's shirt and a pair of pants that were WAY too big for her that were held up by…were those…_bungee straps_? She had a duffle slung over one shoulder and a guitar case over the other.

Roxas' only thought? _Dear God, please don't tell me she's staying in this dorm_.

"And who the hell are you?" Axel demanded, his words kind of muffled and mispronounced as he tried to speak without further damaging his poor tongue.

The girl giggled like she was high and tossed her bags onto a chair. "Oh, silly me, how rude to not introduce myself." She got a running start and jumped onto the coffee table in front of the couch Axel and Roxas sat on. Holding her arms high above her head, she cried, "WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE GIVE YOU," she paused, making the sounds of a drum roll. "TADA! DOMINAY! By the way…have you seen my brother around here? I've kinda been looking for him for the past, oh, seven months."

Axel and Roxas stared, dumbstruck, at the obnoxious blond girl who continued to stand on the table, tall and proud, as if awaiting applause.

The door opened again, admitting Demyx and Zexion, who were both red-faced and not just from the cold. The spazzy girl, self-proclaimed Dominay, shrieked in happiness and hopped off the table, tackling one of the boys to the floor.

"OHMYGOD! HI BRO!" Dominay squealed in joy, squishing poor…Demyx?

"Wait a minute…" Roxas broke in, Axel frowning in concentration behind him, as if the redhead were trying to recall something. "Demyx…you have a _sister_?" Zexion wore the same look as Axel, confused and trying to recollect.

Dominay stood and saluted the three boys with a wink. "That's _twin_ sister."

"TWIN?!"

* * *

NO. FREAKING. WAY! (squees and does a happy dance) I'm soooo happy that I finally got to introduce my second OC. I wanted to put her in sooner, but, as I've said before, the story took on a life of it's own. And wait, she's also Demyx's sister? His _twin_ sister? lols, yep! I actually mentioned her in the beginning of the story breifly, but I never said her name. If any of you remember which chapter it was without going back and looking, then I'll give you cookies! ...because I'm feeling generous and am still heartbroken over the loss of Judiro...WHY GOD?!?! 

Ahem...moving along...(wipes away a tear)

Oh, and what's this, Demyx has been doing things behind everybody's back? He's doubting that Asmara is really dead? Hmm...food for thought! Weeee!

**Roxas**: YOU ARE PSYCHOTIC!

**Ramen**: and YOU are covered in band-aids! So meh! (sticks her tongue out at Roxas)

**Roxas**: YOU WERE THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO ME! (cries)

**Ramen**: (rolls her eyes) jeez...what a baby...and that wasn't me, dummy, that was Toast. If you're going to blame anybody, blame him!

**Kanta**: (gets strange looks from everyone) don't ask...

**Demyx**: Oh well! at least Ramen is all better again! REVIEW PLEASE! (leans in and whispers to the readers) by the way...the secret to getting rid of Toast is to give him apple juice! (giggles)


	22. My Perogative

Meh, I typed this one up last night but didn't bother to post it, like an idiot...so I'm doing this right after I just got up...(yawns) anyways, this chappie is mostly just drabble and some character development. I didn't really want to do too much more to it, but I promise the next chappie will be a bit longer and more action packed 8D

**Disclaimer**: blah blah blah yackety smackety!

**Kanta**: oh, _that's_ mature...

**Ramen**: It isn't even seven a.m. yet! you should be happy I'm even up! look y'alls, just read and enjoy, mkay? I'ma go pwn Kanta...

**Kanta**: o.O'...

* * *

"Demyx, how could you have forgotten about your own _sister_ for god's sake?" Dominay demanded, hands on her hips as she stalked up and down the common room.

Demyx shrugged. "I didn't recognize you. We haven't exactly talked much since mom and dad separated when we were six."

"I sent you a letter just before the semester started." Dominay said dryly, scowling.

"Even so, how was I supposed to know it was you? I didn't even know what you looked like until two minutes ago!" Demyx defended, hiding behind Zexion, who sat with his arms crossed, watching Dominay carefully. Demyx had told Zexion and Axel about his sibling once, but that had been when they were kids, and it seemed that all of them had forgotten about her.

--------------------------------

Dominay huffed. She didn't much care for what she'd walked in on. She'd been searching for her brother for months, ever since she ran away from home in the summer. And she finally finds him, only to see that he's got a tight group of friends who know him better than she did? That he had a _boyfriend_? It was like…she'd been replaced. Forgotten. Which had been her biggest fear.

Well, that was alright. Because she was here now, wasn't she? And she would stop at nothing to win her brother back. She was sick of being left behind in the dust. And now was the time for action. She was already formulating a plan.

"Well boys, get used to me…looks like I'll be staying a while." Dominay said brightly, looking each one of them in the eye to show them that she meant business.

And when Dominay meant business…she meant _business_.

-------------------_That Night_-------------------

"Aw, I wish I could've stayed with Riku another night, Roxas. Why'd I have to come back?" Sora whined as Roxas led his brunet twin into their dorm building. As they walked in, they were stopped by, none other than, the newest headache of the bunch. Dominay.

"Well, well, well, and who might you be, snoogums?" Dominay hopped over to Sora and pinched the brunet's cheek, squealing. "Aren't you just the _cutest_ thing on this fucking _planet_?!"

Sora blinked at the girl, looking like he was caught between feeling complimented, confused, and afraid.

Roxas sighed. "This is why you had to come back. She wouldn't let any of us sleep until she got to meet you." Roxas slumped down the hall, Sora shuffling after him and Dominay hot on their heels, still going off on how adorable Sora was. "Sora, this is Dominay, Dominay, this is my brother Sora. Can I go to bed now?"

"Yeppers!" Dominay chirped, looking devious and innocent at the same time, if that was even possible. She'd only been here for five hours, and already she was getting on everybody's nerves.

They made it back to their room and Dominay screamed randomly, making the five boys freeze where they stood or sat, in various states of undress, and making Demyx actually squeak and cover himself with his blanket.

"Rule numero uno, boys…no snoging when I'm in the room, kapeesh?" Dominay flopped down onto the pile of blankets she'd spread all over the floor in the center of the room. "You sleep in your own beds…or else." She threatened, her eyes darkening dangerously. Everybody glanced over at Demyx who nodded. They all sighed and did as she said, but only because Demyx had clarified that Dominay was lethal.

And she was going to be staying for how long again? Christ…

----------------------------------

"Psst….Roxas…wake up babe."

Roxas rolled over with a groan and slapped the hands shaking him away. "Mmmm…"

"C'mon, Roxy, don't make this difficult, just get up."

Blinking open eyes heavy with sleep, Roxas stared blearily up at the shadowy outline of Axel. He could tell it was Axel by the oddly shaped shadow that was his head. "Why?" Axel covered Roxas' mouth, snapping the blond awake instantly.

"Ssshh!" Roxas mumbled something, only to have Axel press his hand harder on his mouth. "Don't wake the she-beast." He whispered.

Roxas nodded and Axel carefully let go. Roxas sat up and looked around the room. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness and he could see that all the other beds were empty. The only people in the room were him, Axel, and the lump on the floor Roxas assumed was Dominay. She snored just like her brother…

"The others snuck out already, we're meeting in the common room, c'mon." Axel took his hand and led him slowly over to the door. "We have to be quiet, or else Dominay will know and she'll ruin everything."

Roxas was starting to wonder what this was all about. Was this really an emergency meeting called to discuss their current situation? Or was Axel just trying to get him alone. He'd been telling the redhead no for a while now…maybe he was fed up?

But no…the others' beds had definitely been empty.

"About time, Roxas." Sora said moodily as he and Axel entered the common room. Sora sat on the chair, arms and legs crossed as he pouted. The brunet didn't take kindly to being woken up in the middle of the night. Demyx sat curled next to Zexion, holding his boyfriend's hand tightly and picking at his lip.

"What's this all about? Are we going to smother her? Because I don't think that requires everybody…unless it's a 'swear to secrecy' kind of thing." Roxas plopped down on Axel's lap after the redhead sat next to Demyx. Axel immediately wrapped his arms around Roxas' waist, but the blond didn't mind.

------------------------------

Demyx sighed. "I wanted to tell you guys about my sister."

They all waited expectantly.

"I told Axel and Zexy about her when we were kids, but that was a long time ago. You see, our parents spilt up when we were young, and we were separated. We've been corresponding through letters every since, getting roughly two letters from the other every month, just to keep in touch. But our dad moved her around a lot, so I never got to see her." Demyx ran a hand through his hair, looking pale. "She's a little ruthless."

Roxas snorted. "A little?"

"Well…she knows what she wants, and she goes for it. She's one of those people." Demyx tried to explain. Regardless of her…quirks, Dominay was his sister, his _twin, _and he loved her. Distance didn't change that. "From what I can gather, she's finally left home and come looking for me."

"And it seems that she found you too." Axel broke in with a sarcastic eye roll. "Seriously, Dem, the only thing you've told us so far that we didn't already know was that you haven't seen her since you guys were six."

Demyx threw his pillow, which he'd been smart enough to bring with him, Dominay stole unattended pillows, at Axel, smacking Roxas instead. The blond cried out and glared.

"Demyx…you're like a brother to me…but if you strike Roxas, even with a pillow, one more time, I'm afraid I'm going to have to maim you." Axel threatened, his tone light and he said it with a smile.

Roxas punched him in the arm. "Be nice."

Demyx ignored it all and stared at his bare toes. He hadn't been expecting his sister to show up out of the blue. If she'd left and come to live with him, then there would be no getting her to leave. Dominay was like a pit-bull, once she sunk her teeth into something, she held on till the death.

And already she'd decided that she wanted to 'bond' with him again. Only one problem, well, for Dominay it was…Demyx had a group of friends and a boyfriend he already spent all his time with. It wasn't that he didn't love his sister, but they just had so little in common, they hadn't spent any real time together. Dominay was bent to change that.

---------------------------------

Zexion watched Demyx think. Roxas had already fallen back asleep in Axel's lap. Sora, copying his brother, had slumped over in the chair and passed out as well. Axel sat back, cradling Roxas to his chest and staring at the ceiling, quiet as he too thought.

Dominay was a sudden complication that hadn't counted on. She was rude, crude, and loud. She'd pushed her way into their lives and didn't even stop to ask if it was okay. Zexion could tell the girl was trouble, and she'd been giving him the evil eye ever since she'd first spotted him with her brother. She saw him as competition. And Dominay, what little he knew of her, was the type to take out her competitors with brutal zeal.

She'd be more than happy to go to any lengths to take his place in Demyx's life.

But it wasn't like they could just throw her out. Where would she go? It wasn't like she could just go back where she came from. Zexion blew out a frustrated breath. This situation was more complicated than he'd originally thought. And they had to take into account what Dominay might say or do if asked to leave.

_Great…and Demyx hasn't said anything about wanting her gone…if he decides to let her stay…_

As if on cue, Demyx spoke up again. "You know, having her around wouldn't be so bad. I mean, I haven't gotten to spend a whole lot of time with her. This could be a great chance to make up for all that lost time!" Demyx began to get excited about the idea. "Yeah, that sounds like fun. And she's really not that bad, once you get to know her, you guys."

"Get to know who, dearest brother?"

Roxas and Sora snapped awake, Axel, Demyx and Zexion whirled around to see Dominay standing in the hall, dressed in a pair of baggy sweats and an oversized T-shirt, her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall. One blond brow was raised in question, the dark gleam in her eyes from earlier that day gone. She seemed genuinely curious as to what they were doing.

------------------------------

"Um…you?" Demyx hesitantly answered. He relaxed when Dominay's face lit up in joy and she hopped over to hug him tightly.

Demyx hugged his sister back. She giggled and bounced a bit. Hell, even half asleep, she was full of obnoxious energy.

"I'm so happy that you wanna get to know me, Dem-Dem!" Dominay pulled back to smile brightly up at him. "I wanna get to know you, too!" she yawned and slumped a bit. "Mmmm…but first…sleep…" she turned and ambled back down the hallway.

"I'm sleeping out here." Sora mumbled, laying back on his side. Roxas sighed and lay down, stretching out on the couch.

"I'm sleeping here too."

Axel scratched the side of his head. "It's been weird, folks. But I'm hittin' it too." the redhead snuggled up next to Roxas on the couch and sighed deeply.

Demyx turned to look down at Zexion. "You wanna stay out here too, Zexy, or you wanna go back to bed?"

Zexion grabbed Demyx's arm and yanked him down for a hard kiss. Demyx stared at the slate-haired boy, stunned. "What was that for, Zexy?"

"Demyx…I'm not going to object to this if it makes you happy…I just want you to know that."

Demyx smiled and hugged Zexion close, settling down for a good cuddle. "Thank you, Zexy. That means a lot to me." He rubbed his face against Zexion's shoulder. "I promise that it'll be better after a while. Just give Dominay a chance to show you all sides of her before you make a final judgment."

--------------------------------

"Hey, I understand." Zexion laughed quietly. "After all, you said the same thing to me when we first met in grade school.'

"Yeah…I remember. You told me to get lost and I kept coming back." Demyx giggled at the memory. "And then I asked why you didn't want me around…"

"And I said it was because you were annoying." Zexion added.

"Yep, and then," Demyx paused to yawn.

"Then you told me to wait and see all sides before I decided I didn't want you around." Zexion stroked Demyx's hair gently. "Even back then, life was complicated for us, huh?"

When Demyx didn't reply, just began to snore lightly, Zexion glanced down to see the musician curled up in his lap, mouth open and drooling a bit. Zexion felt his heart melt at the sight and held Demyx closer. "How could I have been so blind as to not notice your feelings for me?" he shook his head at himself. "But, it's always the things that are closest to us that we don't see, isn't it?"

Zexion played with Demyx's hair for a while longer, watching as the others slept and the neon numbers on the digital clock on the shelf kept track of the minutes as they passed. Finally, he sighed and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry for all the time we've wasted…but I'll make it up to you, Demyx. I promise."

And he'd start by tolerating Dominay…because having her around made Demyx happy, and that was all Zexion cared about now.

Making Demyx happy.

* * *

ZING! Okay, I feel better after beating the snot out of my muse...ahem, anyways, I hope you all liked it, even though this chappie is just a return of the WORD VOMIT! GASPETH! 

And yes, I'm catering to you Zemyx fans out there...this one was extra fluffly, jus for yous! X3 luffs ya all!

I'll update again today, but until then, later!

---------Ramen


	23. Seriously

Short chapter, GAH!

**Kanta**: easy there...don't hurt yourself...

**Ramen**: (yanks on her hair) meh, but it's SHORT! REALLY SHORT! (sighs) but I couldn't change the end of this chappie...I just couldn't...which is why it was broken up into a two-parter. And because I'm such a nice gal, I'm not gonna make y'all wait for the second half! That's right...I post next part immediately after dis one! hehehehehe

**Disclaimer**: I'm just a simple girl with an eccentric personality, or so my therapist says...so what makes you think I would own something as god-like as Kingdom Hearts? Psh, some people...

**Kanta**: read and enjoy, Ramen has been anxious to get to this chapter for a while now.

* * *

"Demyx…your sister is fucking nuts."

Demyx looked up from the notes he was scribbling down in his notebook. None of them were actually on the lecture they were sitting in together, but it made him look busy and kept the professor out of his hair. He was music oriented, not Classics oriented.

"I'm serious…she took a shower….in OUR bathroom. The PUBLIC bathroom in the dorm building….everybody saw her NAKED! Hell, she came into the room NAKED. She walked around the entire dorm building…NAKED!"

"So what?" Demyx didn't look up at the fuming blond who hovered over him. Jeez, he really wished Zexy would get here already…or Axel for that matter. He'd keep Roxas occupied and out of his hair. "She likes to be naked and she's self-confident. Besides, what're the guys gonna see? Dominay's flat as a board."

"Demyx…this is serious …this has to stop. If she's going to stay with us, there has to be some kind of boundary set." Roxas leaned in close, his hair sticking up more than usual from constant pulling. "Like, how she keeps sticking our hands in warm cups of water when we're asleep, how she steals our pillows, that one time she dumped rice all over our beds so we had to sleep on the floor with her because she locked up in the room. And all in the three days she's been here! I think I'll lose it if I have to hear her prattle about how adorable we all are together, only to turn around and smack us for kissing too close to her personal space."

Demyx sighed. "Roxas, what do you want me to do? She doesn't listen to me any more than she does you or the others."

Roxas slammed his fists on the table. "There's got to be something you can do, because I swear, Demyx, if this goes on, I'm going to take it out on _you_!"

"Easy, babe, you know you aren't supposed to threaten death before noon." Axel admonished, coming up behind Roxas and dragging the struggling blond over to an open chair. Roxas flailed and clawed in Demyx's direction.

"YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!" he screamed desperately.

Demyx turned away and tried so hard not to laugh. Dominay had been getting on all their nerves, but she hadn't done anything really bad. Just a few pranks here, and little picking there, nothing too serious. Although, she did fight a lot with Zexion, and Demyx had to admit, he didn't like that too much. Maybe Roxas had something of a point. Maybe it was time that he and his sister had a talk about proper behavior…

Dominay ran into the room at full speed, knocking over three people and sending loose papers flying. She jumped up onto the table Roxas and Axel sat at, landing on her knees. She grinned like a maniac and leaned in close.

"Hello, Roxy." Her smile was far too sweet.

Roxas' face turned red and he lunged at her, making Dominay squeak and scramble back. Then she laughed as Axel held the blond back. Demyx shook his head as she sat next to him and put her feet up on the table.

"So, what're we doin' in this class anyways?"

"Min…what are you even doing here? You aren't enrolled in this school, you could get caught." Demyx glanced worriedly up to the front of the room, but the professor was busy with something on his computer. At least she hadn't been noticed yet…and how that was remained a mystery…after all, she'd made plenty of noise coming in.

"Well, I wanted to spend more time with you, Dem-Dem." Dominay's face fell a bit and her eyes darkened. "You know…like when we were kids…"

"You remember all that?"

"They're the only memories worth remembering, Dem." Suddenly sober, Dominay set her feet back on the floor and rested her elbows on the table. "I don't really remember mom…and I try real hard to not remember dad, but since I saw him just a few months ago, that's hard. But I've always been able to remember your face. Remember how we always laughed and got in trouble together." She ducked her head. "Dad said it was my fault mom left with you."

Demyx hugged his sister. "You don't really believe that, do you?" he didn't like seeing Dominay like this. He'd rather have her obnoxious and starting fights than quiet and reserved.

"I did for the longest time." Dominay lifted her head, a sad smile on her face. "But I don't any more. I grew up and started to see what a jackass our father really is. That's when I knew it wasn't my fault, it was his. And that's when I started running away."

"You ran away more than once? Why am I not surprised?" Axel scooted his chair closer, one arm wrapped around Roxas' head and a hand firmly covering the blonde's mouth.

Dominay's eyes lit up at the sight of Roxas. "Well…he kept moving us around, so I never had any friends. All I had was one crappy apartment after another, horrid hand-me-down clothes, shit-head dad, and a new girlfriend of his every week or so." She shrugged and slouched in her chair. "Running away seemed like a pretty great idea."

Demyx kept his arms around his sister. For once, Dominay was being…normal. She wasn't screaming, wasn't climbing on something, wasn't dancing on the table (which had happened already…twice), or trying to stick anything down their pants. It was…odd.

"But, I finally decided, hey, I'm nineteen now and it's past time to dump this and go find something better." Dominay shot up to her feet and said in a loud, announcer-like voice. "AND SO I SET OUT ON MY EPIC JOURNEY TO FIND MY LONG LOST TWIN TO REUNITE OUR HALVES TO MAKE A WHOLE!"

"How that sounds dirty, I'll never know." Axel said absently, finally letting Roxas go. The blond boy pulled away with a glare, but said nothing.

Dominay giggled at Axel's words and sat back down. "Thanks for listening. Feels good to get that off my chest and—OHMYGOD! A PURPLE PEN!"

Demyx held his hands up helplessly at the strange looks everybody gave him. He didn't know any better than anyone else why Dominay was the way she was…she was Dominay, that's all.

Axel snorted. "Can we say 'ADD'?"

"Huh?" Dominay blinked blankly at the redhead.

"Exactly," Axel snickered. Not that Dominay noticed, since she had spotted some random dude sitting in front of them with a shiny necklace.

"SHINY!"

Demyx slapped his forehead with his hand as Dominay leapt upon the poor man and started to yank on the chain gleaming around his neck. _I wish I could say we aren't related…but that dude's necklace IS shiny…oooo…._

-----------_One Week Later_--------------

One week. That was all it took was one week for Dominay to firmly entrench herself into the group. She was obnoxious, loud, scary when angered, and went on more random sugar highs, that were better classified as crack attacks, than Sora at a party…but, when she wasn't any of those, she was funny and rather easy to get along with. She was moody as hell, and none of the boys knew when she was going to go off again, but they suspected that she did that on purpose, just for the attention. And it was nice to have another girl around…even if she was the polar opposite of Asmara.

Oh, and she decided that Zexion was her new worst enemy and biggest rival. For real. It was established and written in stone! The thing they fought over? Demyx.

Apparently, since they'd been separated as kids and kept apart because of custody laws and their father moving Dominay around constantly, the long lost twins had become…rather distant from one another, and Dominay was hell bent on reforming the bond that was destroyed. Unfortunately, there was an obstacle. Zexion, Demyx's boyfriend. His friends: Sora, Roxas, Riku and Axel were her next targets, but they weren't as big a threat to her, it seemed.

No, her sights were set on Zexion, and the gun was cocked and loaded.

Currently, however, things were relatively peaceful. The afternoon was only mildly cold, and the group sat outside in the campus park, lazing about, discussing the upcoming finals and winter break, while Dominay plotted quietly to herself.

Zexion kept a close eye on her from where he sat next to Demyx, a steaming mug in his hands. Demyx seemed oblivious to the tension between his psycho sister and boyfriend, and sat between them, smiling and laughing at something Sora said.

Sora sat in Riku's lap, both boys content to be near each other and their friends. Roxas was snuggled into Axel's side, the two of them sitting between Zexion and a tree. They were all gathered in a small circle and to be quite frank, though the world had been turned upside down on them, they were happy and life was good.

------------------------------------

Standing on the other side of the park stood a lone figure, watching the group as they laughed and talked. It hadn't been that long, yet it felt like forever since the person had seen them. It felt like an eternity. Indeed, the absence had been long and hard to handle, but returning…it felt…good. Like coming home after a long vacation. Familiar. Welcoming. And at the same time…awkward.

Walking slowly closer, the figure smiled, the dim sunlight gleaming off of faded curls. As they drew closer still, the talking ceased between the seven people and they turned, one by one, to stare up at the newcomer.

------------------------------------

Unable to believe his eyes, Roxas slowly rose to his feet, holding out a shaking hand to the apparition standing before him. There was just no way…it wasn't possible…it couldn't be…

Could it?

"A-Asmara?"

* * *

SHAZAM!

Oh, and I kind of lied about saying that there would be six more chapters (covers head) don't hit me! please! ahem...but yeah, the rewrite of the ending went better than planned, so the end is nigh, along with an epilogue! Yays! okay, I'll stop bugging you and let you move on to the next part X3

----------Ramen


	24. I'm Alright

This intro is going to be short and sweet, since I know how anxious y'all are to read this next part...okay, GO!

**Disclaimer**: aldsgjwaeogawelkgtjmlogjwt...translation: ME NO OWN! READ!

* * *

------------_Four Days Earlier_-------------

"Are you sure you want to do this, ma'am? You're taking an awfully big risk going back there."

Sighing, Asmara dried off her face with a towel and stared at her ragged reflection in the mirror. The pink dye in her hair had faded, leaving it a dull, silvery coral color, the pale roots showing. She was going to have to dye it again, but she wasn't going to hide anymore.

She wasn't going to hide…she couldn't. It hurt, physically hurt her everyday to think about them. She missed them all, and wouldn't be able to live again if she didn't get to be with them. Damn the consequences. She didn't care if she died, but if she did, she wanted it to be with them. She couldn't keep lying like this. They had to all be devastated, thinking she was gone forever…

"Well…against better judgment, it's really your call. We've established that those two who shot you," Asmara snorted at those words. It had been an accident. "We're not affiliated with those targeting you, so it isn't completely unsafe…but still, watch your back."

"I'm not going to keep running away. Running solves nothing." Asmara said firmly, turning to face the tall, broad shouldered man in black. How cliché, the mysterious man in black protecting the seemingly defenseless heroine…only this girl wasn't as helpless as she appeared.

The man stared down at her, frowning in disapproval. "Are you absolutely positive this is what you want to do?"

Asmara nodded, swallowing. "They haven't found me yet. How do we even know that they're still looking?" she paused and pressed a hand to her heart. "Besides…there are people out there who need me…and I need them."

After staring her down for several minutes, the man nodded curtly and stepped aside from the door. "Very well, but know that you are no longer under our protection by leaving this room."

She nodded again in return, feeling her heart hammer in her chest, but it was a good thing. This was right. She was excited. She was…happy.

"I'm coming home, you guys." She whispered as she walked out the door for the first time in months.

----------------_Present_------------

They all jumped up and started talking at once, crowding around the girl they'd all thought lost to them these long five months.

"You're alive?!"

"You're okay?"

"I can't believe it's you!"

"You're really here?!"

"Am I dreaming? Because this is un-fucking-believable!"

Asmara laughed hoarsely, feeling warm and humbled by the desperate hugs and tears she was welcomed home with from her boys. Roxas was the only one who didn't speak. The blond just collapsed into her arms and wept, his entire body shaking. Asmara held him, stroking his hair and rocking him gently.

-----------------------------

Off to the side stood Dominay, feeling awkward and left out…again. It seemed that all her life she didn't fit in. Even after finding her brother…even after running away to do so…she'd found no acceptance here. She watched with a broken heart as Axel, Roxas, Sora, Riku, Zexion, and, yes, her brother, Demyx, hugged and cried over this total stranger. Or at least, the girl was a stranger to her.

Demyx had his own life here. One that didn't include her. And showing up on his doorstep had done nothing to change that. Dominay inhaled shakily, trying not to cry. She'd only been here for a few days, hardly a week, but already she'd started to feel like the boys were getting used to her and taking her in…but she must've been wrong. They had just been trying to find a replacement for a long lost friend…who was no longer lost.

And now…she was alone again.

They all started back towards the dorm building, Roxas still holding fast to the black and pink haired girl, the others hanging over her, fussing over her, and completely ignoring Dominay. She'd leave but…where could she go? Before, she'd had a goal, a purpose, but now…

"Hey! Dominay!" Sora shouted, waving back at her, everyone stopping with him. Dominay's head shot up at the call. "Come on! You don't wanna stay out here and freeze, do ya? Come meet Asmara!"

Dominay smiled and started running after them. Maybe she wasn't completely forgotten after all…

-------------------------------

"You have to tell us what happened! Where have you been?"

"How come we didn't know you were alive?"

"How come none of the hospitals called us or knew about you?"

"What happened to your hair? It's shorter! And different colors!"

The questions came so fast, so furious, that Asmara felt dizzy, but she just smiled. It was good to be back. She'd missed these boys so much. And they'd missed her too it seemed. They'd even befriended another girl, though Asmara didn't feel replaced, and in her absence, it seemed that they'd managed to finally pair themselves off. It was heart-warming to see them come together.

"Well," Asmara began. Her once bright, almost lyrical voice, was now gone and in its place was a raspy, half-whisper that made the tears start up all over again. Asmara had to strain herself just to speak loud enough to be heard. "Do you want me to start from the beginning?"

"Beginning?" they all gazed at her questioningly. They'd all tried to squeeze as close to her as they possibly could. Demyx was leaning into her side, Zexion had one hand entwined with Demyx's and the other on Asmara's arm, Sora and Riku were kneeling on the floor at her feet, holding hands as well and staring up at her with teary eyes. Well, Sora was. Axel sat on her other side, pressed close and Roxas had all but climbed into her lap and had his face buried in her chest, arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Asmara took a deep breath.

"Yeah…this goes back a ways…you see, when I was in high school, I met this guy," they all seemed confused as to what this had to do with anything, but they weren't going to object. They were just happy to have her here. "I thought he was great, but it turned out that he was a member of this self-proclaimed 'Mafia' of the town. They did everything from vandalism to street-racing to money loans and fraud to armed robbery and even murder. Reason or no reason."

Everyone sat forward, listening intently, all of them trying to sit closer.

"Well, one night, I saw my boyfriend kill someone in cold blood with his friends. I'd gone over to his place to surprise him…but apparently I had very bad timing. Of course, I ran and reported him and his buddies. I knew so many of them and apparently the government had gotten involved because their crimes were a pretty big deal. So, they put me in the Witness Protection Program."

"Witness Protection Program?" Demyx broke in, sharing everyone's look of stunned disbelief.

"Mm-hm." Asmara nodded. "Asmara Soren isn't my real name…it's Aimee Koruba."

The boys snorted and said together, "Aimee? Nah, you're Asmara." Making Asmara smile.

"Because my parents were already dead and I hadn't heard from my foster parents in months," Asmara went on as if the interruption hadn't occurred, "I went under the protection of the law and they moved me, made me change my name, and I had to start my life all over again…a life that wasn't even mine. But I was scared, so I didn't think too much of it.

"When I was shot…which was an accident, they did thorough investigating on this, they'd originally thought it was one of them and had me transferred to a discreet location and erased all my files and paid off the staff who knew I'd been in the local hospital to keep quiet. They were trying to keep me hidden. But…I couldn't stay away. I made them let me come back. And of course, doing so has removed me from their program."

"What? What if they come after you again? What if they find you, Asmara?" Sora asked in a frenzy, gripping her knees tight.

"They won't, sweetie, don't worry. It's been four years and they haven't found me. Those guys had no affiliation with them. I'm safe. And I don't have to move away and leave you all to think I died." Asmara paused, then added. "And that's why my hair is shorter and different colors. It's my own little disguise."

"Well…that explains why I couldn't find out anything about where you were or what happened to you when I went to all those hospitals." Demyx mused. He laughed and nudged Asmara. "I knew something had to be up. They would have told us if you were dead."

"But…what about the initial call?" Riku wondered. "If they were trying to keep it under wraps, how come we were informed in the first place?"

"Slow response time?" Asmara guessed. "How should I know?" she rubbed at her neck.

Demyx gasped. "What's that?" he pulled down the high collar of Asmara's shirt and stared. Everyone came closer to get a better look, all of them wearing expressions composed of sorrow, anger, and worry.

Asmara self-consciously reached up and rubbed a fingertip across the raised, starburst-pattern scar on the left side of her neck. It was an ugly mark, the skin puckered and still red, even after all the time it had had to heal. "I don't remember much about the accident itself," she added on, trying to change the subject. "The last thing I remember was thinking of you all…but anything before that is a blank."

She pressed her lips together in a firm line, making a strange, crackling sound in the back of her throat that made everyone around her wince.

"I know it's bad," she sighed. "They told me it won't get much better than this. I'm lucky to be able to speak at all."

They all leaned in and had a group hug again, giving Asmara more comfort than she'd had in a long while. "Thanks you guys…and hey…if you thought I was dead…why didn't you have a funeral? Some friends you are…" she tried to tease them to lighten the mood.

Roxas spoke for the first time since Asmara had arrived, answering her question. His voice was quiet, but Asmara heard every pain-stricken word.

"We did have kind of a memorial…where we got together and shared what we'd miss about you the most…Riku's idea…" Roxas waved absently over towards Riku, never taking his eyes off of Asmara, as if afraid that she would disappear. "I kind of ruined it for everyone…besides…it seemed weird to bury an empty coffin…" he trailed off.

Asmara noticed that Axel was trying really hard to not act possessive or jealous, it was plain to see by the strained expression on the redhead's face and the way he kept reaching out for Roxas, only to catch himself and pull away. Did he feel like Asmara was stealing the blond boy away? Not a chance.

-------------------------------

"Roxas? I realize that you've missed me…that you've all missed me…" Asmara whispered in her new, ragged voice in Roxas' ear. "But remember, there are other people who need your attention too." Roxas turned around and spotted Axel quickly jerking his head away, as if he were trying not to get caught staring.

Roxas forced himself to let go of Asmara and sit back against Axel. Asmara was right. Just because she was back, didn't mean that she had to become the center of their world. In fact, that seemed to be the furthest want the girl had.

Asmara turned a bright smile over to Dominay. "And who're you?"

--------------------------------

Dominay, who'd been watching and listening from a distance, suddenly jumped in surprised and pointed at herself. "Me?" when the girl, Asmara, nodded with a wide smile, Dominay shrugged and folded her arms. "I'm Miss Independent. I like your hair, by the way." She motioned towards Asmara's hair that just barely reached the tops of her shoulders, dyed black with wide, bright pink stripes.

"Thank you. I like yours as well." That got Dominay going. Nothing made her warm up to someone like a compliment!

--------------------------------

A round of introductions, along with a random musical number by Dominay about how she came to get her name later, and they were all sitting together in the warm common room, sharing laughter and stories, just catching up and trying to pick up life where they'd left off. The boys still had to reach out and touch Asmara occasionally, hug her, just to make sure she was really there and this wasn't all a wonderful dream…

--------------------------------

Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas and leaned his head over the blonde's shoulder. Roxas had been rather quiet ever since Asmara had come back. And Axel had a feeling he was struggling to separate and make sense of the riot of emotions the redhead saw chasing across his face.

"Are you gonna be alright, Roxas?" Axel asked, kissing the corner of Roxas' mouth gently.

Roxas turned his head to kiss Axel back. All around them was the sounds of their friends' laughter and the joy of being together again. He sighed and watched the scene play out before him. Slowly, a smile curved his lips.

"You know, Axel…I think I am."

* * *

ZING! That's right...Aimee aka Asmara is still alive! The Witness Protection Program thingy...how many of you saw that coming, and be honest, let's have a show of hands...(crickets chirp) ...okay then! Alright, so there you have it! Seems Demyx really was on to something, huh? Lolz, oh, and I'm in a bit of a pickle...I don't have anything else to add, really...I think this may actually be it, yo. That's right...I said yo...BUT! If you think there should be another chapter before the epilogue, then drop me a review and let me know. I personally think it's a done deal. I likey the ending of this chapter, sounds resolved...but I'm always open to suggestions.

Well, I suppose I'll get on prepping the epilogue! See y'all later!

----------Ramen


	25. Epilogue: Splinter?

(sobs) I'm so sad to see this story end! WAAAAHHHH!!!! (gets over it) oh well, it had to end some time right? I lack the ability to find anything more to resolve, so, I present you all with the epilogue! Enjoy! I got this idea from a web comic I once saws!

**Disclaimer**: (sighs) I can't believe I kept writing this...but I don't own KH...I wouldn't be living in a middle class, single story house with no heat if I did, lol.

* * *

----------_Three Months Later_---------

"Axel…"

"Hmm…"

"Ah, don't…mmmnn."

"Just relax."

"I…can't AAHH!"

"Ssshh, it's not that bad."

"Axel, it hurts!"

"It wouldn't so much if you'd stop moving around like that."

----------------------------------

Standing outside the dorm room marked "8", Dominay had her hand frozen in the act of reaching for the doorknob. Behind her, Asmara, Demyx and Zexion wore similar looks of shock.

There was a soft sound behind the door before Roxas' voice cried out again.

"Axel stop! It hurts too much!"

"We're almost done, just relax."

"How can I with _that_ in me?"

Demyx covered his mouth to hide the fact that he was laughing. Asmara cleared her throat and said softly in a scratchy voice, "It's probably not what you're thinking. Maybe Axel's just trying to pull out a splinter." She handed Dominay a tissue as her nose had started to bleed at the groans coming from the other side of the door.

"Hey, don't pretend you aren't thinking the same thing we are," Zexion whispered at the pink and black haired girl who giggled hoarsely in reply.

"There, see? That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Easy for you to say…it wasn't in _you_." both boys sounded out of breath and everyone standing in the hall smothered giggles behind their hands, turning to leave.

"Asmara's probably right, ya know." Demyx piped up as they walked back to the common room.

"Yeah," Dominay agreed, even though she sounded skeptical. "As human beings, we do tend to read into things. You know, seeing what we want to see and all that." She wiped at her nose again.

"So, splinter?" Zexion asked for conformation.

"Splinter." Everyone agreed, nodding.

---------------------------------------

"Christ, they're dumb." Axel smirked over at the door, overhearing everything the others had said. "When do you think they'll finally realize what happened?"

"Maybe when they see that I can't sit down for the next week?" Roxas griped from where he lay naked on his stomach, his voice muffled on account of his face being buried in the sheets.

"It wasn't that bad." Axel repeated. "You'll get used to it."

"God, I hope not."

Axel laughed and leaned over, stroking back sweat-dampened blond hair. He nuzzled the side of Roxas' warm face. "Was it really all that bad?"

Roxas sighed and reached back to bury his hand in Axel's hair. "No…it wasn't all that bad."

Tilting the blonde's head to the side, Axel pressed a soft kiss on Roxas' lips. "I love you, Roxas."

Smiling, Roxas kissed him back. "I know."

Disappointment flooded his heart at those words. Axel had kind of been hoping for a slightly different reply. Sighing, he pushed Roxas back down and cuddled up next to him. He'd wait. No matter how long it took for Roxas to admit it, he'd wait.

Roxas wrapped his arms around him and whispered sleepily, "I love you too, Axel. I love you too." and with a sweet, satisfied sigh, Roxas fell asleep.

Well…that hadn't taken long.

Happier than words could ever express, Axel pulled Roxas close and fell asleep with a soft smile curving his mouth. Damn, but he was glad he'd decided to come back to school!

* * *

**Ramen**: YAYS! THEY DID IT FINALLY! It would have been a lemon, but my mom was hovering over me while I wrote this...something about it being a 'momentous occasion' or whatever...kinda awkward to write, in great detail, guys havin' butt sex when your mom is reading over your shoulder...ahem,well, that's it peoples! I hope you had as much fun reading this story as I did writing it! You all inspired me to finish it! And...yeah, don't know what else to say...BYE! (waves and walks out of the room)

**Kanta**: (sighs) She's writing a sequel

**Ramen**: (comes running back into the room) DAMN IT KANTA, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SURPRISE!** I'MA KILL YOU!!!!** (takes out crowbar and prepares to pwn her muse)

**Lahmal**: (takes Ramen's crowbar) You wouldn't have wanted to keep these wonderful people sad and pining until you got off your lazy ass to post the next story, you know that.

**Ramen**: (blinks slowly) ...um...I have no idea what you're talking about...oh hey! My crowbar! HEEEE! (hugs crowbar) Oh...Kanta...why are you sweating and shaking like that?

**Kanta:** YOU WERE GOING TO KILL ME!

**Ramen:** why would I kill you, muse? I need you to help me write the sequel to this story! (smiles) Keep on the look out for the sequel! It may come up late tonight or tomorrow afternoon, you know, whenever I get around to it...(shrugs) well, later! (walks away again)

**Kanta**: (hands Lahmal a knife) end the madness...I beg you...

**Lahmal**: (takes knife and breaks it in half) Nah... (grins evilly) I rather enjoy watching her bother you...(turns to readers) I'm Ramen's bodyguard by the way...just FYI if you're all wondering...and she'll more than likely post the first chapter of the sequel tonight, so be prepared. Review please, it makes Ramen happy. (walks away)

**Kanta:** ... ... ... ... ... ... ...I can't take this much longer... ... ... ... ... ...(sighs and leaves while waving) Later people...


End file.
